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Easter 2025 traffic chaos cancelled? 1,127 miles of roadworks specially removed for the holiday

Around 97.5 per cent of major roads across the country will be roadwork free for bank holiday weekend after Government intervention

Motorway traffic

National Highways is lifting 1,127 miles of roadworks this Easter bank holiday weekend in a bid to ease congestion on the country’s motorways and A-roads. 

With almost 20 million journeys expected, Good Friday could be the busiest day on Britain’s roads since 2022.

Alongside roadworks, utility companies’ streetworks are also being targeted, with doubled fines and charges of up to £10,000 per day for work that overruns into the weekend. The Government says that at least half the revenue raised from fines and charges will go towards fixing potholes.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “We are tackling the real problems that drivers face by lifting 1,127 miles of roadworks over Easter and cracking down on disruptive streetworks to make journeys to see loved ones as smooth as possible.” 

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The Government action means that 97.5 per cent of the UK’s roads will be free of traffic cones. 

Key routes that should benefit from roadworks being lifted or completed ahead of Easter include over 130 miles on London’s orbital M25, more than 100 miles of M1 between the capital and Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and more than 70 miles of the A27 between Polegate, East Sussex and Havant, Hampshire. 

The roadworks will be lifted from 6am on Thursday morning and only reintroduced after Easter Monday.

Ahead of the Easter weekend rush, National Highways is  relaunching its ‘TRIP’ campaign. It’s aimed to encourage drivers to ‘Top-up, Rest, Inspect, Prepare’ to help prevent breakdowns or collisions.

Are you planning an Easter weekend road trip? Let us know your plans in the comments section below...

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Alastair Crooks, Staff writer Auto Express
Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

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