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Busy roads expected as schools across England break up for summer

  • Published: Friday, 18 July 2008

The Highways Agency is predicting busy weekends on England's motorways and major A roads as the schools break up and thousands of families head away for a summer holiday.

Real-time traffic information is available on the Highways Agency's website

Steve Crosthwaite, Head of the Highways Agency's National Traffic Control Centre, said: "Routes around airports and ports as well as those heading towards the coast are expected to be busy, with the M20, M5, M4 and A2 expected to be carrying up to 20 per cent more traffic than on a typical Saturday."

The Highways Agency is recommending that people plan their journey in advance in order to avoid the worst of the summer queues. Their newly updated Traffic Radio service is one way of doing this - the service is available 24 hours a day on DAB digital radio and the internet.

"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 well and make sure you check the conditions before you leave. It's also a good idea to be prepared. Take food and water with you, especially if you have children in the car, and take a map just in case you need to find an alternative route," added Steve Crosthwaite.

"We also advise that you give your vehicle a thorough check before any long journey. We have over 1,100 traffic officers out on the road network clearing incidents and helping drivers in trouble. At this time of year they see a lot of unnecessary breakdowns - so check your tyres, lights, oil and of course your fuel level. Waiting for recovery on the hard shoulder with your family isn't the best way to start a holiday."

For those road users heading towards the South West, the Highways Agency has produced a leaflet advising drivers of the busiest times and places in the region including:

  • A303 westbound at Stonehenge between 1pm and 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays
  • M5 southbound between junctions 15 and 21 on Fridays between 11am and 7pm and Saturdays between 7am and 3pm
  • M5 near Exeter between junctions 29 and 30 on Saturdays between 8am and 3pm

Further information

Real-time traffic information is available on the Highways Agency's website. You can use this website to check for current incidents and roadworks and see what is currently being displayed on any electronic motorway sign in England, or to check the current average speed on a particular stretch of motorway.

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