Holderness Gazette - 24 Aug 06

HAPPIER BANK HOLIDAY ON THE ROADS

The Highways Agency is using a three-point plan to help drivers make easier journeys on England's motorways and major A roads over the late August holiday weekend.

Around 30 million vehicles are expected to take to the roads, making it one of the busiest weekends of the year on the strategic network.

Since the last bank holiday at the end of May, the Highways Agency has completed the introduction of its traffic officer service to all English motorways.  They expect to deal with around 5,000 incidents over the bank holiday weekend.

Drivers will benefit from three major road construction schemes which have added new lanes since the end of May: new climbing lanes on the M5 and M4 near Bristol: the newly widened 4.5 mile section of the M60 between Junctions 5 - 8 near Manchester, and the new Sheppey Crossing in north Kent.  Work on the £57m A421 Great Barford Bypass in Bedfordshire is also due to be completed before the bank holiday.

To keep as many lanes as possible open for drivers, the Hghways Agency is once again suspending roadworks wherever it is safe and practical to do so.  Work is bieng suspended on 12 sets of works and five schemes will be completed before the bank holiday, freeing up a total of 50 miles of roads.

Drivers are reminded to check their route for possible delays before setting out and to listen to travel bulletins during their journey.  Real-time information about travel conditions onEngland's motorways and major A roads is available from http://www.highways.gov.uk/ trafficinfo, or by phoning the Highways Agency on 08457 50 40 30. 

The Highways Agency now has seven