Highways Agency lifts roadworks to help bank holiday motorists

The Highways Agency will be clearing 75 per cent of its roadworks to help minimise congestion over the bank holiday weekend.

180 miles of roadworks will be completed by Friday May 23 and 145 miles of roadworks are being suspended until Tuesday May 27.

These include resurfacing work being paused at junction 24 on the M62 and patching work to be completed for the bank holiday at junction 22.

Record amounts are being invested in roads and the Highways Agency is doing more work to improve the condition of its network and reduce congestion.

Simon Sheldon-Wilson, director of traffic management at the agency, said: “To help road users enjoy this bank holiday weekend – and hopefully some fine weather – we will be completing or suspending over 320 miles of roadworks on motorways and major trunk roads. But we still ask people to plan their journeys by making use of the traffic information services we provide.”

Friday evening and Saturday afternoon are expected to be the busiest times over this bank holiday weekend, especially on the main holiday routes, as people take day trips, short breaks or longer holidays for the half term break.

In all, 66 sets of roadworks are due to be completed on the Highways Agency’s roads ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

A further 47 sets of roadworks and lane restrictions are due to be removed by 6am on Friday May 23 and will not be put back before 12.01am on Tuesday May 27.

Lane restrictions or temporary speed limits will need to remain in place at 38 locations for the safety of drivers and their passengers.

Highways Agency traffic officers will be visible on the motorways and on standby to deal with any incidents and keep traffic moving so disruption is kept to a minimum.