All motorway roadworks halted ahead of the Queen's state funeral

National Highways says that planned closures of major routes in and out of London will be postponed to reduce congestion as large numbers of people travel to the capital for ceremonial and commemorative events to mark the Queen’s death.

All closures for roadworks on motorways in and out of London will be paused from now until after the state funeral on Monday (September 19).

This includes on motorways such as the M25, M11, M3, M4, and M23.

Additionally, all other closures on the motorway network nationally will be postponed for the duration of the extended bank holiday weekend. National Highways says that existing roadworks will also be removed ‘where possible, with cones and temporary signals withdrawn from 6am on Friday September 16 and not put back in place until Tuesday 20 September.’

A planned closure of the southbound M6 between junctions 33 and 32 north of Preston will be among the roadworks postponed this weekend.

National Highways spokesman John McNeill said: “We expect the roads to be busy with people looking to travel into the capital and to other royal residences over the weekend.

"Our traffic officer patrols will be out on the network to help anyone who might get into difficulty, but it’s important people remember to check their vehicle before setting off.

“The last thing anybody wants on the way to their destination is to have a vehicle breakdown. That’s why it’s really important that people spend a few minutes checking the condition of their tyres before setting off.”

The postponement of roadwork closures – both through the week and over the Bank Holiday weekend – will specifically apply to motorways.

Works on A-roads will be assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on their impact.

People travelling into London are being advised to check the TfL website – https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/travel-advice-for-the-mourning-period – for the latest travel information.

Further travel advice from National Highways is available on https://nationalhighways.co.uk/about-us/travel-advice-during-the-period-of-national-mourning/

National Highways is also urging drivers to check their vehicle is roadworthy. They urge people to check tyres, engine oil, water, lights and fuel.