Drivers can enjoy the Easter break without the risk of disruption as National Highways halts plans to revamp 850 miles of roadworks during the festive period.
Roadworks across the selected routes of motorways and A-roads will be removed from 6am on Thursday March 28 until Tuesday, April 2.
Around 98 per cent of England's England’s motorway and major A road network will be free of roadworks across the Easter weekend.
While the roads will be cleared, drivers are reminded that for people travelling to the Kent ports, drivers are also being reminded that Operation Brock will remain in place on the M20.
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14 million leisure journeys could take place over the Easter periodPAAndy Butterfield, customer services director at National Highways, said: “This is the first bank holiday of the year, so we expect the roads to be busy with people looking to make the most of a long weekend.
“We are doing what we can to make journeys easier by removing miles of roadworks, but I would encourage everyone to take some time, plan ahead and ensure your vehicle is prepared for what might be a long journey.
“Two of the top three causes of breakdowns are tyre issues and empty fuel tanks.
“We don’t want anyone to go through the stress of breaking down, so we would encourage everyone to follow our TRIP advice – this all about remembering a few simple steps to make journeys easier and safer.”
Guy Opperman, Roads Minister, added that the Government is on the side of drivers, which is why National Highways is lifting hundreds of miles of roadworks to make sure everyone’s Easter getaway is as smooth as possible.
Alice Simpson, from RAC Breakdown, suggested that anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday, March 2 until much later in the evening or set off as early as possible on Good Friday is likely to have a better journey than those who travel during the peak periods of the day.
She said: “To have the best chance of a straightforward journey, motorists are encouraged to check fuel, oil and coolant levels, along with tyre pressures and treads, before setting off."
Meanwhile, a Met Office spokesperson said the UK will see a typical mix of spring weather in the run-up to Easter, with periods of showers, rain and winds, as well as some sunny spells at times.
The spokesperson stated that unsettled conditions are the main theme of the forecast through much of the week, with low pressure exerting its influence, bringing periods of rain from the west, some of which could be heavy in nature.
Earlier this week, the RAC warned of unprecedented delays during the Easter bank holiday weekend with research finding that more than 14 million leisure journeys could take place over the period.
The data also found that Good Friday could see some of the worst delays for drivers with 2.6 million getaway trips believed to take place on that day alone.
A further 2.3 million trips are estimated by the insurer to take place on Easter Saturday and Sunday.
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Operation Brock will remain in place on the M20
PANational Highways has also promoted its TRIP (top-up, rest, inspect and prepare) campaign to help motorists avoid any issues once they get on the road.
It encourages drivers to plan in advance before they set off to avoid delays and unexpected problems while travelling.
