National Highways to lift almost 900 miles of roadworks before Christmas getaway

Nearly 900 miles of roadworks on England’s motorways and major A-roads will be removed ahead of the Christmas getaway.

National Highways said it will ensure almost 98% of its network is fully open from 6am on December 20 until the end of January 2 by either completing or lifting roadworks.

December 23 and Christmas Eve are expected to be the busiest days for people making road trips to spend the festive period with loved ones.

The AA estimates there will be nearly 17 million cars on UK roads on both days.

Train strikes mean more people than normal are expected to make getaway journeys by car this Christmas.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Being stuck in traffic can take the joy out of travelling home over the festive period.

“Given the disruption expected from the transport unions’ strike action and cold weather, I’m pleased that we could act to remove these roadworks, reducing congestion and helping people with their important journeys this Christmas.”

National Highways customer service director Andrew Butterfield said: “We know from experience that peak travel times can vary in the run up to Christmas and so we’re encouraging drivers to check traffic conditions before heading out to help keep traffic flowing.

“And we’re also asking motorists to be prepared before setting off. Almost half of breakdowns can be easily avoided if motorists carry out simple vehicle checks before their journeys.”

This includes examining levels of fuel, oil, coolant and screen wash, and ensuring tyres are correctly inflated.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at National Highways in operational roles on roads and in control centres will take part in a series of staggered strikes from Friday to January 7.

National Highways insisted it has “comprehensive plans in place to minimise any potential disruption”, such as sharing resources between control centres to assist with call handling and setting signs and signals.