Motorway roadworks to be sped up after minister intervenes

Zones of 50mph on the M62 and M60 will be reduced, and the hours of contractors changed so they work more at night and at the weekends to get the improvements finished quicker.

The announcement, by Transport Minister Andrew Jones, was made during Transport Questions at the House of Commons, and he said he entirely sympathised that the long stretches of roadworks in Yorkshire irritate drivers.

Conservative MP for Shipley, Philip Davies, said: “There are swathes of motorway which are 50mph on the M62 and on the M60 there’s a 20-mile stretch of 50mph with people working on a very, very small section of that road.

Work should be done for the convenience of the road users and not the convenience of the Highways Agency.

Mr Jones replied: “I entirely agree that long stretches of roadworks frustrate drivers.

“I have raised this with Highways England and challenged them to deliver their work in sections which are shorter in length and over a shorter period of time.”

He said they would reduce the length of time the work takes by a third or half, and that there would be more work taking place on the weekend and overnight.

The High Speed 2 railway line was described as a crucial investment by the Government despite criticism from Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield, that costs would reach £160bn.

Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, said the cost of not progressing HS2 would be greater than its build price.