Plans hatched to make Easter travel easier as roadworks will be removed across the country

National Highways is making the Easter getaway easier this year - with more than 850 miles of roadworks being lifted over the bank holiday to help motorists.

Around 98 per cent of England's motorway and major A road network will be free from roadworks over the holiday period.

Roadworks will be removed by 6am on Thursday 28 March and not put back until Tuesday 2 April.

National Highways is also springing into action to launch the latest element of its TRIP (top-up, rest, inspect and prepare) campaign to help motorists avoid any issues once they hop on the road.

• Top-up: Fuel, oil and screenwash highlights some of the basic vehicle checks you can carry out at home. It's really important to check your fuel level, water level and oil level before embarking on a long trip.
• Rest: take regular comfort breaks encourages people to be well rested ahead of their journey identifying places to stop for a break during your journey.
• Inspect: check tyre pressure and tread focusses on some simple things you can do at home to care for your tyres.
• Prepare: have a plan for all weathers encourages drivers and their passengers to take seasonal kits with them on their journey so they have provisions in the event of hold ups and traffic jams and check the weather forecast.

Andy 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."

Minister for Roads, Guy Opperman said: "We're 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, improving journey times and helping people get from A to B easier."

Alice Simpson, from RAC Breakdown, said: "Anyone who can delay leaving on Thursday 28 March 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.

"To have the best chance of a straightforward journey, we encourage motorists to check fuel, oil and coolant levels, along with tyre pressures and treads, before setting off."

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. 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."

Operation Brock:

For people travelling to the Kent ports, drivers are also being reminded that Operation Brock is active on the M20.  Operation Brock is a traffic management arrangement for traffic heading to Eurotunnel or the Port of Dover.  

Motorists planning on crossing the channel should: 

• Plan ahead and check before they travel 
• Leave plenty of extra time 
• Bring some supplies in case of delays (water, food etc) 
• Follow the signs when they get onto the M20 

Road users' heading for the Kent ports can check on the status of Operation Brock by clicking here: Operation Brock updates.

If you are planning an Easter getaway, please take some time to plan your journey. Live updates on traffic flow can be found at: Traffic England.

National Highways recently launched a new campaign - 'Little changes, change everything' which encourages considerate driving including encouraging motorists not to hog the middle lane.

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Notes to Editors

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England's motorways and major A roads.

Real-time traffic information for England'smotorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.

For further information please contact National Highways' press office (24hrs) on 0844 693 1448 and select the most appropriate option:

Option 1: National enquiries (9am to 5.30pm) and out of hours for urgent enquiries
Option 2: North West (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 3: Yorkshire and North East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 4: West Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 5: East Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 6: East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 7: South East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 8: South West (9am to 5.30pm)

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