Monday 24 August 2009

Roadworks lifted for August bank holiday


The Highways Agency will help people make smoother and more reliable journeys over the August Bank Holiday weekend by suspending or completing more than half of its road projects on motorways and major A roads.

As part of the Agency's commitment to ease congestion and help drivers make their journeys more safely and reliably during this busy period, a total of 22 sets of roadworks have been completed and a further 31 are being suspended between 06:00 on Friday 28 August and 00:01 on Tuesday 1 September. Roadworks at 40 locations will remain in place for safety of roadworkers and road users.

Derek Turner, Director of Network Operations said:

"At this time of year a lot of people will be taking journeys they are not familiar with, so our advice is to plan your journey and make sure you check the conditions before you leave.

"We expect the roads to the main holiday centres, ports and airports will be busy so we're doing everything we can to help drivers with their journeys. We have removed as many roadworks as possible and provide a number of information services to help road users plan their journeys.

"It's also a good idea to take food and water with you, and a map, just in case you need to find an alternative route. You should also check your vehicle's tyres, oil, water and fuel before setting out and allow extra time to plan for breaks to complete your journey safely."

Before setting off, drivers can help prepare for their journey by tuning into the Highways Agency's Traffic Radio, available on DAB digital radio and at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk, or by visiting our website at http://www.highways.gov.uk. When stopped for a break, drivers can also check the road conditions using a mobile phone at: www.highways.gov.uk/mobile.

Driver fatigue is estimated to account for around one fifth of road traffic collisions on major roads, and is responsible for around 300 deaths per year. Drivers should take a break every two hours and share the driving whenever possible.

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

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