A MAJOR motorway is set to close tonight with Brits warned to check their route ahead of the long weekend.
Those inspired by the good weather to head out this weekend should be aware of the disruption they may face while travelling.
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Overnight closures have been announced on the M54 this weekend, with diversions in place but heavier traffic expected.
The M54 Eastbound will close tonight, Friday evening to Saturday morning:
- Between 9pm to 6am Junction 1 to the M6 Junction 10a carriageway
- Between 8pm to 6am Junction 5 to Junction 4 carriageway
Fully signed diversions should be in place via Castle Farm Way, A5 Watling Street, A449 Stafford Road, and A41 Newport Road, according to National Highways.
This comes as part of eight weeks of closures which began at the end of February to allow for the resurfacing of the M54 between junctions 2 and 4.
National Highways said: “We’ll make every effort to ensure the impact on the local community and travelling public is kept to a minimum.
“We always aim to work to the programme, however unforeseen circumstances or adverse weather conditions may mean changes.”
There will also be closures during the weekend on a number of other motorways, details of which you can find here
It comes after the bank holiday weekend kicked off with the warmest start to May on record.
Motoring services company RAC has revealed that the May Day weekend is still set to produce more traffic than 2024 – with over 17 million getaway trips by car planned.
The experts estimate the busiest day will be Friday, with as many as three million journeys expected.
Saturday could see 2.9million, and 2.8million are predicted on the Monday.
Meanwhile the least amount of travel is due on Sunday with just 2.4million trips.
The M54 Eastbound will close tonight, Friday evening to Saturday morning
- Between 9pm to 6am Junction 1 to the M6 Junction 10a carriageway
- Between 8pm to 6am Junction 5 to Junction 4 carriageway
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Although the Easter break was just two weeks ago, our figures suggest this weekend will still be hectic on the roads as millions take advantage of another bank holiday.
“This week’s very warm weather may not last right into the weekend, but with lots of daylight hours, there’s still plenty of opportunity to get out and about.
“For drivers that have a choice, it’s best to avoid Friday evening as that’s when leisure traffic will clash with commuter journeys.
“It takes just minutes to check that a vehicle’s oil, coolant and screenwash are all at the right levels before your trip, and it’s equally important to ensure all tyres are damage-free, have plenty of tread and are inflated properly.
“Anyone towing a caravan or trailer should check over these tyres as well.”
