DRIVERS are preparing for a cluster of road closures this weekend as Easter traffic is set to reach its highest level in three years.
Road-goers are being urged by National Highways to plan any travel in advance to avoid being caught out by diversions.
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Most of the works will occur overnight, between 8pm and 6am, when roads are at their quietest.
The agency uses these timings to help to minimise disruption to all drivers – especially commuters.
The closure which will likely have the widest impact, on the A1 (M) Northbound in Cambridgeshire, will take place from 8pm Thursday until 6am Friday morning.
Between J16 and J14, near Sawtry, there will be lane closures, and the J15 entry and exit slip roads will be shut.
These disruptions come as the AA and RAC predict the busiest Easter weekend on the roads since 2022.
Both companies say that Thursday will probably have the most traffic, with 19.8 million motorists expected to get behind the wheel.
Roughly 2.7 million trips per day are expected, with another 6.2 million due to travel over the course of the entire weekend.
Here’s a full list of the weekend’s closures:
Thursday (overnight into Good Friday):
- A1 (M) Northbound – J14 – J16 (Sawtry, Cambridgeshire) lane closures and J15 entry and exit slip road closed 8pm – 6am.
- A5 Both Directions – Roundabot partially closed, carriageway closures from Wolfshead to Felton Butler, and from Wolfshead Roundabout to Lower Hopton Junction 10pm – 6am.
- A14 Eastbound – J15, (Thrapston, Cambridgeshire) J15 exit slip road closure 6am – 8pm.
- A249 Southbound – Grovehurst (Kent) entry slip road 5am – 6pm .
- A35 Eastbound – Charmouth slip road closure for overhead services on Westover Hill 8am – 6pm.
- A42 Southbound – J14 – J13 (Ashby-de-la-Zouch, East Midlands) layby closure 1pm – 5am.
- A46 Northbound and Southbound – Overnight carriage closures running from Festival to Leamington (Southbound), and from Leamington to Stoneleigh (Northbound) 8pm – 6am.
- M18 Southbound – J5 (Doncaster, South Yorkshire) exit slip road closed 9pm – 5am.
- M45 Both Directions – Partial closure to Thurlaston Roundabout, (Leicester) all day. This will include some 24/7 carriageway, layby and lane closures for junction improvements, with diversions set up for traffic.
- M62 Eastbound and Westbound – Both directions from J37 to the A36 Western Interchange (East Yorkshire), there will be 24/7 layby closures and a 40 mph speed limit. Further North, the westbound J6 exit slip road, on Merseyside, will be closed between 5am and 6am.
- M67 Eastbound – J2 entry slip road (Manchester) closed 9pm – 5am.
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Good Friday (overnight into Saturday):
- A14 Eastbound – J15, (Thrapston, Cambridgeshire) J15 exit slip road closure 6am – 8pm.
- A249 Southbound – Grovehurst (Kent) entry slip road 5am – 6am.
- A35 Eastbound – Charmouth slip road closure for overhead services on Westover Hill 8am – 6pm.
- A46 Northbound and Southbound – Overnight carriage closures running from Festival to Leamington (Southbound), and from Leamington to Stoneleigh (Northbound) 8pm – 6am.
- M45 Both Directions – Partial closure to Thurlaston Roundabout, (Leicester) all day. This will include some 24/7 carriageway, layby and lane closures for junction improvements, with diversions set up for traffic.
- M62 Eastbound and Westbound – Both directions from J37 to the A36 Western Interchange (East Yorkshire), there will be 24/7 layby closures and a 40 mph speed limit. Further North, the westbound J6 exit slip road, on Merseyside, will be closed between 5am and 6am.
- M67 Eastbound – J2 entry slip road (Manchester) closed 9pm – 5am.
Saturday (overnight into Easter Sunday):
- A14 Eastbound – J15, (Thrapston, Cambridgeshire) J15 exit slip road closure 6am – 8pm.
- A249 Southbound – Grovehurst (Kent) entry slip road 5am – 6am.
- A46 Northbound and Southbound – Overnight carriage closures running from Festival to Leamington (Southbound), and from Leamington to Stoneleigh (Northbound) 8pm – 6am.
- M45 Both Directions – Partial closure to Thurlaston Roundabout, (Leicester) all day. This will include some 24/7 carriageway, layby and lane closures for junction improvements, with diversions set up for traffic.
- M62 Eastbound and Westbound – Both directions from J37 to the A36 Western Interchange (East Yorkshire), there will be 24/7 layby closures and a 40 mph speed limit. Further North, the westbound J6 exit slip road, on Merseyside, will be closed between 5am and 6am.
- M67 Eastbound – J2 entry slip road (Manchester) closed 9pm – 5am.
Easter Sunday (overnight into Easter Monday):
- A14 Eastbound – J15, (Thrapston, Cambridgeshire) J15 exit slip road closure 6am – 8pm.
- A249 Southbound – Grovehurst (Kent) entry slip road 5am – 6am.
- A46 Northbound and Southbound – Overnight carriage closures running from Festival to Leamington (Southbound), and from Leamington to Stoneleigh (Northbound) 8pm – 6am.
- M45 Both Directions – Partial closure to Thurlaston Roundabout, (Leicester) all day. This will include some 24/7 carriageway, layby and lane closures for junction improvements, with diversions set up for traffic.
- M62 Eastbound and Westbound – Both directions from J37 to the A36 Western Interchange (East Yorkshire), there will be 24/7 layby closures and a 40 mph speed limit. Further North, the westbound J6 exit slip road, on Merseyside, will be closed between 5am and 6am.
- M67 Eastbound – J2 entry slip road (Manchester) closed 9pm – 5am.
Easter Monday (overnight into Tuesday):
- A14 Eastbound – J15, (Thrapston, Cambridgeshire) J15 exit slip road closure 6am – 8pm.
- A21 Both Directions: Junction road to A28 carriageway midnight – 6am.
- A249 Southbound – Grovehurst (Kent) entry slip road 5am – 6am.
- A46 Northbound and Southbound – Overnight carriage closures running from Festival to Leamington (Southbound), and from Leamington to Stoneleigh (Northbound) 8pm – 6am.
- M45 Both Directions – Partial closure to Thurlaston Roundabout, (Leicester) all day. This will include some 24/7 carriageway, layby and lane closures for junction improvements, with diversions set up for traffic.
- M62 Eastbound and Westbound – Both directions from J37 to the A36 Western Interchange (East Yorkshire), there will be 24/7 layby closures and a 40 mph speed limit. Further North, the westbound J6 exit slip road, on Merseyside, will be closed between 5am and 6am.
- M67 Eastbound – J2 entry slip road (Manchester) closed 9pm – 5am.
Best and worst times to travel this weekend
Thursday:
- Best: Before midday
- Worst: between 2pm – 7pm
Good Friday:
- Best: Before 10am
- Worst between 10am – 5pm
Saturday:
- Best: Before 10:30am and after 2pm
- Worst: Between 11am – 1pm
Easter Sunday:
- Best: After 1pm
- Worst: Between 11am – 1pm
Easter Monday:
- Best: Before 11am
- Worst: Between 11am – 6pm
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