Miles of Midlands roadworks to be lifted for weekend
The bank holiday getaway was beginning today with hundreds of miles of roadworks set to be lifted or completed by tomorrow morning.
But drivers in the Black Country and South Staffordshire could still face delays as more than 20 miles worth of work on the M54 and M6 has been deemed too dangerous to be removed for the weekend.
The Highways Agency lifts or completes as many roadworks as it can before bank holidays that coincide with the start of the school holidays, when many families tend to go on holiday.
But it will be leaving in place a 50mph limit for more than 19 miles on the M6 between junctions five in Birmingham and eight near West Bromwich, where it is installing a scheme to let drivers use the hard shoulder in rush hour.
A 50mph limit will also be left on the M54 between junctions two and three near Wolverhampton where new slip roads are being installed to connect the motorway with the i54 business park and a new Jaguar Land Rover engine plant. Narrow lanes will be in use for 1.8 miles and work has taken place to dig up some of the road surface, meaning the speed limits and barriers have to stay.
Across the country more than 200 miles of roadworks are being completed and a further 130 miles suspended between 6am tomorrow and next Tuesday.
Those being lifted include the M6 at junction nine near Wednesbury, where white lines and traffic signal equipment are being replaced.
Highways director of traffic management Simon Sheldon-Wilson said: "The Highways Agency is helping people have better journeys on our roads this bank holiday.
"We ask everyone to take a few minutes to check their route at the latest conditions before they set off. Our traffic officers will be monitoring the network and on standby to deal with any incidents and keep traffic moving."
Friday evening and Saturday lunchtime are expected to be the busiest over the bank holiday weekend, especially on the main holiday routes.
