Highways Agency: Highways Agency lifts roadworks and provides traffic information for the late May bank holiday

The Highways Agency will help people travelling on motorways and major A roads in England over the late May bank holiday weekend by suspending or completing more than half its roadworks and providing live traffic information to road users.

Friday evening and Saturday lunchtime are expected to be the busiest periods over the bank holiday weekend as people set out on short breaks or day trips across the country.

More than half of roadworks on roads managed by the Highways Agency will be lifted before the weekend getaway. This means that 228 miles of roadworks will be lifted or completed before the bank holiday. Live information about current traffic conditions on the motorways and major A roads is offered through a range of channels as part of the Highways Agency’s commitment to ease congestion and to help drivers make their journeys safely and reliably.

The Agency provides live traffic information via its own website, local and national radio travel bulletins and mobile platforms, such as the iPhone.  The Highways Agency’s application, which was launched in February, has now been downloaded by more than 230,000 people.

Mike Penning, Roads Minister, said:

“To help road users with their journeys, the Highways Agency will remove as many sets of roadworks as it is safe and practical to do so, and will continue to provide up to the minute journey planning advice though their website, electronic road signs and the media.

“Removing roadworks is just one way that the Highways Agency helps road users during bank holidays. The Traffic Officer Service will be on patrol and working in regional control centres to help traffic flow smoothly. The Agency’s website can help drivers plan their journeys, and by listening to DAB digital "Traffic Radio", local radio stations, or by calling the Agency’s information line (08457 50 40 30) they can keep up to date with road conditions.”

A total of 23 sets of roadworks are due to be completed and a further 31 are due to be suspended before 06:00 on Friday 28 May to help drivers make smoother journeys over the bank holiday. Roadworks at 32 locations will remain in place for the safety of drivers and their passengers.

Roadworks and lane restrictions will be removed by 06:00 on Friday 28 May and will not be put back before 00:01 on Tuesday 1 June.

The list of remaining, suspended and completed roadworks is included after notes to editors.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. The percentage of roadworks which has been lifted (51%) is based on the number of carriageway miles of roadworks, which is the most accurate way for us to capture how much of our roadworks are being lifted (222 miles remaining, 228 miles being lifted.)

3. We plan maintenance and improvement projects carefully to allow works to be completed safely, in a cost effective way while keeping disruption to road users to a minimum. We do as much work as possible overnight and when roads are less busy in order to keep more lanes open for road users at peak travel times.  Drivers are advised to check their route for road works and allow extra time for their journeys where needed.  We have a variety of journey planning tools that road users can use to check travel conditions on the roads we manage, and we will do all we can to keep road users informed.

4. Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available:

-     From our Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".

-     From the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic orwww.highways.gov.uk/mobile if using a phone or mobile device.

Before using any mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it’s safe and legal before you call.

-     By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT residential landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary).

5.    For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time (Calls to 0845 numbers will cost no more than 4p per minute from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary).

Safety at roadworks

The Highways Agency is working with the industry and road users to reduce the risks of working on the roads.  For the safety of road workers and all road users, when you are approaching roadworks:

- Keep within the speed limit – it is there for your safety.
- Get into the correct lane in good time – don’t keep switching.
- Concentrate on the road ahead, not the roadworks.
- Be alert for works’ traffic leaving or entering roadworks.
- Keep a safe distance – there could be queues in front.
- Observe all signs – they are there to help you.

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For interviews and more information contact regional press officers or the National Press Office below:

North West: 0161 618 1625

North East & Yorkshire & Humber: 01924 243 744

West Midlands: 0121 421 8852

East: 01883 745364

East Midlands: 0115 855 2051

South East: 01883 745364

South West: 0117 316 5874
National Press Office: 0207 081 7443 including out of hours

Total remaining 32 roadwork schemes (222 carriageway miles)

South East Region

Scheme – M4 Woodland St. Mary Phase 1

Nearest Road/Town- Hungerford

Reason for non removal – Removal of contra flow not practicable

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Slight

Scheme – M4 Junction 11 Improvement

Nearest Road/Town - Reading

Reason for non removal - Open Excavations/Incomplete safety barriers

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Slight

Scheme – M4 Junction 6 to 7 Wood Lane Bridge

Nearest Road/Town - Windsor

Reason for non removal - Incomplete safety barriers

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Slight

Scheme – M3 J2-3 Hard Shoulder Strengthening

Nearest Road/Town - Bagshot

Reason for non removal - Safety Fence will have been removed

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – M27 J5 Slip Widening

Nearest Road/Town - Eastleigh

Reason for non removal - Incomplete safety fences

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Slight

Scheme – M25 Hatfield Tunnel

Nearest Road/Town - Hatfield

Reason for non removal - Unsafe and impractical as works are ongoing.

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – M25 DBFO Junction 16 to 19

Nearest Road/Town - Mapel Cross

Reason for non removal - Unsafe and impractical as works are ongoing.

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – M25 DBFO Junction 27 to 28. M11 Links

Nearest Road/Town- Harlow

Reason for non removal - Unsafe and impractical as works are ongoing.

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – A404(M) Western Railway Bridge

Nearest Road/Town - Maidenhead

Reason for non removal – Safety fencing incomplete.

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Slight

Scheme – A34 Wolvercote Viaduct Replacement

Nearest Road/Town - Botley/Wolvercote

Reason for non removal - Incomplete safety fences

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – A3 Hindhead

Nearest Road/Town - Hindhead

Reason for non removal - Roadworks allow safe access to site compound which will be open over the Bank Holiday.

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Slight

Scheme – M20 Bridge Repairs

Nearest Road/Town - Maidstone

Reason for non removal – Bridge Repairs

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – A21 Quarry Hill

Nearest Road/Town - Tonbridge

Reason for non removal – Unsafe and impractical

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Moderate

East Region

Scheme – M1 J10-13 Improvement

Nearest Road/Town- Luton

Reason for non removal – Works for Managed Motorway Construction

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – A421 Improvements M1 J13 to Bedford

Nearest Road/Town - Bedford

Reason for non removal - Carriageway Construction

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – A14 Claydon to Copdock Major Maintenance

Nearest Road/Town - Ipswich

Reason for non removal – Incomplete safety barrier

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – A47 J16 Bretton Interchange

Nearest Road/Town - Peterborough

Reason for non removal – Open excavations to sliproads

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

East Midlands

Scheme – A46 Newark to Widmerpool Improvement

Nearest Road/Town – Nottingham

Reason for non removal - Carriageway under construction

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – Raynesway S278 Junction Improvement

Nearest Road/Town – Derby

Reason for non removal – Open excavations

Speed Limit – 30mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

West Midlands

Scheme – Birmingham Box Managed Motorways M6 J8-10a

Nearest Road/Town - Walsall

Reason for non removal – Open excavations & unprotected infrastructure

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – A500 Shelton New Road Bridge

Nearest Road/Town - Hanley, Stoke on Trent

Reason for non removal – Phasing of works does not allow contraflow to be removed on Shelton New Road. There is no contraflow on the A500

Speed Limit – 20mph

Delays- Nil to Slight.

Scheme – A50 Brittania Stadium

Nearest Road/Town - Stoke on Trent

Reason for non removal – Open excavation

Delays- Nil to Slight.

Scheme – A500 Etruria to Porthill

Nearest Road/Town - Hanley Stoke-on-Trent.

Reason for non removal – Speed limit to remain as during works lighting columns and safety fences do not comply with requirements for 70 mph running

Speed Limit – 40mph

Delays- Nil to Slight.

Northwest Region

Scheme – M6 Lodge Lane Bridge Improvements

Nearest Road/Town - Newton-le-Willows

Reason for non removal – No surfacing on bridge deck

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – M56 Junction 7 Westbound

Nearest Road/Town - Altrincham

Reason for non removal – Temporary barrier in place protecting excavations

Speed Limit – 70mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – M62 J21 to 22

Nearest Road/Town- Milnow

Reason for non removal – Central reservation barrier incomplete

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

North East Region

Scheme – A585 Breedy Butts Bridge works

Nearest Road/Town -Thornton

Reason for non removal – Bridge deck lifted for refurbishment

Speed Limit – 30mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – M62 Junction 25 to Junction 28 Asset Renewal

Nearest Road/Town- Huddersfield, Cleckheaton, Leeds

Reason for non removal – Temporary barrier in place

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – M62 Junction 29 to Junction 30 Hardshoulder Strengthening

Nearest Road/Town - Wakefield

Reason for non removal – Temporary barrier in place

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Nil to Slight.

Scheme – A19/A690 Rainton Bridge

Nearest Road/Town - Sunderland

Reason for non removal – Open excavations and partially constructed new carriageway

Speed Limit – 50mph

Delays- Moderate

Scheme – A184 (T) Whitemare Pool Bridge Refurbishment

Nearest Road/Town - Gateshead

Reason for non removal – Safety reasons

Speed Limit – 30mph

Delays- Nil to Slight

Scheme – A1 Dishforth to Leeming Improvement (South Scheme)

Nearest Road/Town - Dishforth/Leeming

Reason for non removal – Ongoing Major Widening Works unsafe to remove.

Speed Limit – 50mph

Roadworks Lifted before Late May Bank Holiday;

Total lifted 31 roadwork schemes (123 carriageway miles)

South East Region

Scheme- A27 Variable Message Signs

Nearest road/town- Brighton

Types of works – Installation of variable message signs

Scheme- A27 Drainage Works

Nearest road/town- Fontwell

Types of works –Drainage Surveys

Scheme- A23 Variable Message Signs

Nearest road/town- Patcham

Types of works - Installation of variable message signs

East Region

Scheme- A14 Corridor Traffic Management Scheme

Nearest road/town- Ipswich.  A14 Jn 47-53

Types of works – Installation of variable message signs and CCTV

Scheme- A14 Corridor Traffic Management Scheme

Nearest road/town- Newmarket.  A14 Jn 40-36

Types of works – Installation of variable message signs and CCTV

Scheme- A14 Corridor Traffic Management Scheme

Nearest road/town-Bury St Edmunds. A14 Jn 47-45

Types of works – Installation of variable message signs and CCTV

Scheme- A14 Corridor Traffic Management Scheme

Nearest road/town- Bury St Edmunds. A14 Jn 42-44

Types of works – Installation of variable message signs and CCTV

Scheme- A14 Corridor Traffic Management Scheme

Nearest road/town- Ipswich.  A14 Jn 51-59

Types of works – Installation of variable message signs and CCTV

Scheme- M11 Communications Works

Nearest road/town- Stanstead

Types of works – Laying fibre Optic Cable

Scheme- A12N Bridge Improvement

Nearest road/town- Lowestoft

Types of works – Resurfacing and Painting

Scheme- A12 VMS Installation

Nearest road/town- Colchester

Types of works – Installation of Variable Message Sign

Scheme- M1 Highways Agency Digital Enforcement Cameras J6 to 9

Nearest town- Hemel Hempstead

Types of works – Electrical works

Scheme- A5 Water on Piers

Nearest road/town- Milton Keynes

Types of works – Refurbishment of Pier tops

East Midlands

Scheme- A5 Hinckley

Nearest road/town- A5/Hinckley

Types of works – Horticultural works

Scheme- A42 M1 – M42

Nearest road/town- Asheby De le Zouch

Types of works – Technology

Scheme- A5 Newton/ Catthorpe

Nearest road/town- Catthorpe

Types of works – Access works

Scheme- A14 M1 to J14

Nearest road/town- Kettering

Types of works – Communication works

West Midlands

Scheme- M40 Junction 15 Longbridge Bypass

Nearest road/town- Warwick

Types of works – New bypass

Scheme- M42 Bridge Joint Repairs

Nearest road/town- Alvechurch

Types of works – Structural works

Scheme – M6 Safety Works

Nearest road/town - Coleshill

Types of works – Safety fence works

Scheme- M54 J2

Nearest road/town- Wolverhampton

Types of works – Signalisation of junction

Northwest Region

Scheme- M65 Knuzden Brooke

Nearest road/town- Blackburn

Types of works – Surfacing/barrier

Scheme- M6 Cascade Upgrade

Nearest road/town- Kendal

Types of works – Bridge refurbishment

Scheme- M6 Signal Works

Nearest road/town- Kendal

Types of works – Fibre optic cabling

Scheme- A66 Bridge Reconstruction

Nearest road/town- Keswick

Types of works – Bridge reconstruction

Scheme- A590 Footway Renewal

Nearest road/town- Ulveston

Types of works – Footway renewal

Scheme- M6 Signal works

Nearest road/town- Kendal

Types of works – Fibre optic cabling

Scheme- M6 Signal works

Nearest road/town- Preston

Types of works – Fibre optic cabling

Scheme- M6 Fibre Optic Cabling

Nearest road/town- Preston

Types of works – Fibre optic cabling

Scheme- M6 Ambrose Holme

Nearest road/town- Carlisle

Types of works – Bridge refurbishment and parapet replacement

Scheme- A1T National Driver Information and Control System

Nearest road/town- Newcastle Upon Tyne

Types of works – Ground Investigation works.

Roadworks Completed before Late May Bank Holiday;

Total completed 23 roadwork schemes (105 carriageway miles)

South East Region

Scheme- Lee Mill to Voss Farm

Nearest road/town- Ivy Bridge

Types of works – Resurfacing

Scheme- Summerlands

Nearest road/town- Swindon

Types of works – Narrow Lanes & Speed restrictions

Scheme- M4 J8 to 9

Nearest road/town- Reading

Types of works – Hard Shoulder Strengthening

Scheme- M2 Medway Bridge

Nearest road/town- Rochester

Types of works – Bridge Safety Inspections

Scheme- A21 Pavement Investigations

Nearest road/town- Lamberhurst

Types of works – Pavement Investigations

East Region

Scheme- Motorway Incident Detection Automatic Signalling Loop cutting (M11 J6 to 7)

Nearest road/town- Harlow

Types of works – Loop Cutting

Scheme- A1 M North Lodge Bearing

Nearest road/town- Baldock

Types of works – Structure Maintenance

Scheme- A1 Surfacing Renewal

Nearest road/town- Wyboston

Types of works – Carriageway reconstruction/repair

Scheme- A14 Corridor Traffic Management Scheme

Nearest road/town- Brampton

Types of works – Inspection/Survey

Scheme- A1 Surfacing Renewal

Nearest road/town- St Neots

Types of works – Carriageway reconstruction/repair

East Midlands

Scheme- A5 Lutterworth

Nearest road/town- Lutterworth

Types of works – Signage Works

Scheme- A5111 Raynesway River Bridge

Nearest road/town- Derby

Types of works – Bridge Maintenance

Scheme-  A45 Great Doddington to Hardingstone

Nearest road/town- Wellingbrough

Types of works – Bridge Inspections

Scheme-  M1 J25 to 28 Widening

Nearest road/town- Derby/Nottingham

Types of works – Widening

West Midlands

Scheme- M5 Newton Farm

Nearest road/town- Quinton

Types of works – Carriageway Improvements

Scheme- M42 Traffic Sensors J4 to 7 Northbound

Nearest road/town- Shirley, Solihull & Coleshill

Types of works – Installation of Traffic Sensors

Scheme- M42 Traffic Sensors J4 Northbound entry Slip road

Nearest road/town- Solihull

Types of works – Installation of Traffic Sensors

Scheme- M42 Traffic Sensors J6 Southbound entry Slip road

Nearest road/town- Birmingham

Types of works – Installation of Traffic Sensors

Scheme- M6 J2 Improvements

Nearest road/town- Coventry

Types of works – Signalisation of Junction, widening of slip roads, sign and lighting provision

North West

Scheme- M6 Townend Farm (Phase 1)

Nearest road/town- Penrith

Types of works – Bridge Refurbishments

Scheme- M6 National Roads Telecomms Services provision of ducts

Nearest road/town- Kendal

Types of works – Cable duct works

Scheme- A66 (T) Sadberge Draining Renewal

Nearest road/town- Darlington

Types of works – Drainage

Scheme- A66 (T) Scotch Corner to Greta Bridge Remedial works

Nearest road/town- Richmond

Types of works – Defect repairs

NDS Enquiries 
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department 
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk