NATIONAL Highways is carrying out more than 700 miles of roadworks over the weekend of His Majesty King Charles III’s coronation to help motorists enjoy smoother journeys.
More than 96 per cent of England’s motorway and A road network will be free of work over the holiday period.
Roadworks will be removed from national highways in the south-east of the country by 6am on Thursday 4 May and elsewhere in the country by 6am on Friday 5 May. Works will not resume until 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, May 9.
The King will be crowned alongside Her Majesty, the Queen Consort during the ceremony.
With tens of thousands of people expected to descend on London for the special occasion, National Highways will remove roadworks where possible to help keep traffic moving.
London-bound routes such as the M40, M1 and M4 are expected to be busy with 11 miles of roadworks on the M1 around Hemel Hempstead and Dunstable removed in time for coronation weekend.
To help keep traffic flowing, around 12.5 miles of roadworks will also be removed from the M11 around Cambridge and Harlow and many people are expected to use this route to access the M25 or A12 if they are heading towards the capital.
As these routes are expected to be busy, motorists are advised to allow sufficient travel time and to plan ahead.
National Highways customer service director Andrew Butterfield said: “We know people will want to travel to London to witness this historic moment and that’s why we’ve put up as much roadworks as possible where it’s safe to do so in our network
“Given the size and complexity of some projects, it’s not practical to remove them for a couple of days, as taking them out and putting them back in would cause further disruption. However, the good news for motorists is that 96% of our network will be free of works over the Coronation Bank Holiday weekend.
“We would encourage people to plan their journeys before they set off and make sure their tires are in good condition and they have enough fuel for their journey.”
Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “National Highways has lifted hundreds of miles of works on major roads, so that everyone traveling to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III can enjoy longer journeys smooth over the weekend.”
Ational Highways says simple checks are one way to make sure the vehicle is roadworthy. Things to consider are:
- Tires: Make sure the tire pressure is adequate for the load and check the condition of the tires, including the spare. Watch for cuts or wear throughout the tire, including the sidewall.
- Engine Oil: Check oil levels regularly and top up if necessary. Return the car to the garage if you are charging more than usual.
- Water: Always keep your screen wash full with a good ratio of water to screen wash to maximize cleaning efficiency so you can easily clean debris or dirt from your windshield.
- Lights: If your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not working properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. Also, your vehicle may fail its MoT.
- Fuel: Before you leave, make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destination. Running out of fuel can put you, your family and other road users in unnecessary danger.
If you have problems with your vehicle and can’t get off the motorway, you should always try to go left: towards an emergency area, a kerb, motorway services or a shoulder.
But if this is not possible and you have stopped in a live lane or feel that your life is in danger, you should stay in your vehicle with your seat belt and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately.
Live updates on traffic flow can be found at http://www.trafficengland.com/.
For more information related to tire checks go to https://highwaysengland.co.uk/tyrechecks/
