More than 1,400 miles of roadworks to be lifted over Easter bank holiday weekend

National Highways has announced it is lifting more than 1,400 miles of roadworks, which will affect more than 98 per cent of England’s motorway and major A road network.

Roadworks will be removed from the network by 6am on April 6 and not put back in place until April 11.

Drivers are also being reminded to leave plenty of space when overtaking HGVs and to make sure their vehicles are roadworthy.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the organisation responsible for managing England’s major A-road and motorway network, more than a third of motorists were unaware of the number of HGV blind spots.

While nearly three quarters of people surveyed said they take extra care when overtaking a HGV, 36 per cent said they did not know how many blind spots a HGV had.

Thirty-six per cent also admitted feeling nervous when passing trucks.

Dave Harford, traffic officer for 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.

“This bank holiday it’s really important that motorists remember how to overtake HGVs safely. We all have a role to play in helping to keep each other safe and that’s why we’re calling on motorists to familiarise themselves with blind spots on lorries.

“Our advice to motorists overtaking a HGV is simple; avoid tailgating the HGV when considering an overtaking manoeuvre and as the Highway Code states, do so quickly and safely to avoid staying in an area of limited visibility.”

National Highways is also reminding motorists to check tyre pressures, tread depth and tyre age including the spare, before setting off.

Dave added: “Although the legal limit for tyre tread depth is 1.6mm, we recommend you don’t let the tread get that low.

"Changing the tyre at 2mm in summer and 3mm in winter is good practice and maintains overall good tyre performance in all conditions.

"Look out for cuts or wear over the full width of the tyre and don’t forget to check the sidewall.

"To check your tyre pressure, visit most fuel and service station forecourts, which have an air machine for checking and inflating your tyre pressure.”

Drivers who are stopped by police and found with illegal tyres could receive a £2,500 fine and three penalty points per tyre.