29 May 2012
The Highways Agency will help keep traffic moving over the Diamond Jubilee bank holiday weekend by lifting or completing almost 90 percent of its roadworks.
To view a content-rich version of this release, including lists, images and maps of roadworks click here: http://bit.ly/RWj12N
Around 275 miles of works will be completed before the double bank holiday and a further 43 miles will be lifted between Friday 1 June and Wednesday 6 June, providing extra lane space for holiday traffic.
The Agency's Traffic Officers will be patrolling the network to help clear up incidents quickly - and a range of information services will be provided to allow road users to plan their journeys.
Roads Minister, Mike Penning, said:
“For the Diamond Jubilee bank holiday, the Highways Agency is completing or lifting nearly nine out of every ten sets of roadworks on motorways and trunk roads in England. This means that 99 per cent of the strategic road network will be clear of roadworks over the bank holiday period. More lanes will be open and speed restrictions will be lifted from roadworks where it is safe to do so.
"I advise holidaymakers, day trippers and anyone else planning to travel over the Diamond Jubilee bank holiday period to check weather and travel conditions before setting off. The Highways Agency offers a range of traffic information services to help road users plan their journeys, and Traffic Officers will be on patrol throughout the holiday period, to help clear up any incidents as quickly as possible.”
Roadworks at 100 locations will be completed ahead of the bank holiday. A further 17 sets of roadworks and lane restrictions will be removed by 06:00 on Friday 1 June and will not be put back before 00:01 on Wednesday 6 June. At 16 locations, lane restrictions or temporary speed limits will need to remain in place for the safety of drivers and their passengers. (Details below)
Friday evening and Saturday morning are expected to be the busiest over the Diamond Jubilee bank holiday weekend, as people set out on short breaks or day trips.
With the Torch Relay currently making its way around the country, and as the summer holidays and the London 2012 Games approach, the Highways Agency is encouraging road users to plan ahead for travel whether they are going to the Games or making other journeys.
The Highways Agency provides live traffic information through its website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile platforms, such as the iPhone. The Agency also provides live traffic information via the Twitter micro-blogging website. Our Twitter channels will help you prepare for holiday journeys, with timely reminders and traffic updates. There are also regional feeds for live traffic information. For further information on this service and a full index visit our Twitter pages.
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