Lancashire could be a traffic nightmare hotspot over the Jubilee Bank Holiday – and this is why

To help ease traffic congestion, National Highways has announced it is suspending scores of planned roadworks throughout the jubilee period.

That repair and maintenance work will resume on Monday, June 6, just as the nation returns to the office or home desk.

But the helpful reprieve doesn’t include ALL planned works.

There are still roadworks planned in Lancashire that will remain active during the Platinum Jubilee weekend – with lane closures and disruption predicted.

The stretch affected is the M55 Preston bypass, eastbound between Junctions 3 and 4, where there are planned emergency barrier repair works with “disruption expected everyday” between 7.30am and 5pm from Friday, June 3, to Sunday, June 5.

Graham Conway, Managing Director of Select Car Leasing, the UK’s largest independent specialists for car and van leasing, insists people need to take heed or face potential chaos.

He said: “There will be countless people loading up their cars and hitting the road to enjoy this special bank holiday. And it’s great to see National Highways momentarily pausing some of its planned work across the long weekend. But it’s still really important to plan your route and to check the National Highways website for any signs of potential disruption.

“If there is a risk of being caught up in traffic, it’s also a very good idea to make sure you have a full tank of fuel before you set off, or the battery of your electric car is fully-charged.

“Packing lots of essentials, including food and water in case you’re stuck on the highway for any length of time, is also worthwhile. That’s doubly important if you’re transporting kids and pets.”

In Cumbria there’s planned barrier repair work on the M6 northbound between Junctions 37 and 38 near Tebay. Those repairs are scheduled to last from 5am on Wednesday, June 1, all the way through until April next year.

Meanwhile, in Cheshire there are two sets of roadworks on the the northbound M6 – one between Junction 18 and 19 near Knutsford, and another between J19 and J20 at Lymm.

National Highways says there are five simple checks to make sure your vehicle is roadworthy:

Tyres: Ensure pressures are suitable for the load and check the condition of tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear across the whole tyre including sidewall.

Engine oil: Check levels regularly and top up if needed. Take your car to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.

Water: Always keep topped up with a good ratio of water and screen wash to maximise the cleaning efficiency so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen easily.

Lights: If your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, your vehicle may fail its MOT.

Fuel: Before setting out make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destination. Running out of fuel can put you, your family and other road users at risk unnecessarily.