AS THOUSANDS of festival goers travel to Glastonbury this weekend, traffic and travel experts at RAC Live are warning revellers to prepare their vehicles for the journey and plan their routes carefully to avoid unnecessary and stressful traffic jams.

Although the festival site is open from Wednesday, the peak times for travelling are noon to midnight on Thursday and, on the return journey, Sunday evening and all day Monday.

RAC Live are predicting major delays on the following routes:

Traffic from the North East and East Midlands: A1, M1, A42, M42, M5 to junction 23 A39

Traffic from the North West and West Midlands: M6, M5 to junction 23 A39, A361

Traffic from London: M3, A303, A37

Traffic from the West Country: A37, A361

Traffic from Wales: M4, M5, A39

If you are travelling to Glastonbury or the surrounding area this weekend remember to:

- Leave extra time for your journey

- In the event of being stuck in traffic remember to be patient and avoid suddenly speeding up and slowing down if possible, this is when shunting can occur

- If it's safe and legal to do so dial 1740* on your mobile for RAC Live traffic reports and tune into your local radio for information on routes

- Plan breaks on your journey and make sure you have food and water to keep you refreshed

To help to ensure your vehicle doesn't let you down, RAC recommends that you:

- Check oil and water levels

- Check the pressure, tread depth and condition of your tyres (including the spare). Incorrectly inflated tyres combined with the extra weight of luggage and passengers can result in poor road handling and causes the tyre to become more susceptible to punctures. Make sure you keep the jack for the vehicle and the correct tools, including the one to remove the locking wheel nuts, in the boot. Also, make sure you don't leave the spare at home to make room for that extra baggage as you might find yourself stranded at the roadside.

- Check headlights and indicators. Make sure lenses are free from damage and are kept clean to ensure you can see and be seen - Check front and rear wiper blades for wear or splitting. Make sure your screen wash bottle is full and contains the right amount of additive to help maintain a clear screen

- If you do breakdown, make sure you know where you are and, to help locate you, where possible use the orange coloured SOS phones to call for assistance

- In the event of a breakdown on the motorway, follow the safety advice given by the operator

- Ensure you have sufficient fuel for the journey, bearing in mind you may be held up in traffic.