Roadworks on motorways and major roads lifted over Christmas and New Year

We are clearing more than 500 miles of our network of roadworks for Christmas and the New Year to help families travelling over the festive season.

More Information

The Highways Agency is set to help people travelling during this year's festive holiday period, with plans in place to complete more than 500 miles of roadworks on England's motorways and major A roads next week. A further 60 miles will be suspended between 23 December 2011 and 3 January 2012.

In all, 118 sets of roadworks are due to be completed ahead of the Christmas and New Year holiday period. A further 19 sets of roadworks and lane restrictions are due to be removed by 06:00 on Friday 23 December and will not be put back before 00:01 on Tuesday 3 January. Lane restrictions or temporary speed limits will need to remain in place at 27 locations for the safety of drivers and their passengers, including on the M1 near Luton and on the M25 where important widening work will continue over the holiday period.

The Agency will continue to offer a range of traffic information services to help road users plan their seasonal journeys and its Traffic Officers will be on patrol throughout the holiday period, to help clear up any incidents as quickly as possible. In addition, a few very simple steps taken now can reduce the risk of being caught out by the weather. Check your vehicle before you set out; take a severe weather emergency kit with you; check traffic and weather conditions and always plan your journey.

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. For the Highways Agency's advice to road users this winter, "Make time for winter", visit www.highways.gov.uk/winter

The Agency also provides live traffic information via the Twitter micro-blogging website. Our Twitter channels @winterhighways (and @HA_Christmas over the festive period) will help you prepare for winter 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.Road users can also call the Highways Agency Information Line (0300 123 5000) to keep up to date with road conditions.

Core Facts

The Highways Agency manages motorways and major A roads in England
More than 98 per cent of the network will be roadworks-free over Christmas and the New Year
More tha 500 miles of roadworks will be completed in the week before Christmas and another 60 miles packed away until the New Year
Live traffic information is available on the Highways Agency website, mobiles, iPhones, Twitter and digital screens at motorway services to help people plan their festive journeys

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Quotes

"Christmas is one of the busiest times on our roads and that's why we will be completing or lifting roadworks wherever possible to help people get back to see their families and loved ones.

"More than 98 percent of the strategic road network will be roadworks free, meaning that more lanes will be open and many speed restrictions lifted.

"The Highways Agency is well prepared for winter, but experience from recent years shows that we must all play our part. I'd urge all drivers to make time for winter and visit the Highways Agency's website, where there are lots of tips to help keep winter journeys safe and trouble free."

Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Transport