Overnight Road Closures

[Iskra]

Is it me or are these getting earlier and earlier?

I’ve been caught out a couple of times in the last few months on major routes in different parts of the country, by closures starting at 8pm. This seems unreasonably early to me. This is still a time when people are going about their daily business and a sensible time for travelling when the roads are quieter, so these closures are quite disruptive and can cause local alternative roads to become overwhelmed; particularly in well populated areas. I remember that closures used to commence much later in the evening, and were therefore less frequently encountered and overall less disruptive.

 

[brad465]

A common closure period I've seen emerge in recent years is 18:30-23:30. I assume this is most effective in areas where overnight noise is a problem, so this timeframe compromises between demand and avoiding too much noise at night. My only concern with this is that doesn't seem like a very long time to actually do work.

 

[Bald Rick]

I haven’t seen any 8pm starts on the strategic road network (SRN), but plenty of 8pm starts for overnight resurfacing locally.

I have seen some 9pm starts on the SRN, and more than once have been amongst the last vehicles to squeeze through before the cones go down (even whilst some people are turning off for the diversion!)

 

[bramling]

I haven’t seen any 8pm starts on the strategic road network (SRN), but plenty of 8pm starts for overnight resurfacing locally.

I have seen some 9pm starts on the SRN, and more than once have been amongst the last vehicles to squeeze through before the cones go down (even whilst some people are turning off for the diversion!)

I’ve definitely encountered some 8pm starts when coming back from rowing, which tends to finish around that time so it’s something I notice. This is more for lane closures than full closures though.

 

[MotCO]

I often consult the Highways England app for details of future night time closures, but I've never found it very reliable or accurate. Are there any better sources?

 

[Joe Paxton]

I haven’t seen any 8pm starts on the strategic road network (SRN), but plenty of 8pm starts for overnight resurfacing locally.

I have seen some 9pm starts on the SRN, and more than once have been amongst the last vehicles to squeeze through before the cones go down (even whilst some people are turning off for the diversion!)

Take a look at the National Highways Daily Closures page - lots of closures listed as beginning at 8pm, granted many are sliproads etc but some are full carriageway closures. Busier bits of roads get closures at 9pm or later.

More than once I've been pushed off on diversion earlier than the published start time of the roadworks - once I think the road was closed off something like 10-15 mins early.

I often consult the Highways England app for details of future night time closures, but I've never found it very reliable or accurate. Are there any better sources?

I find the NH Daily Closures page (as stated above) most useful for this information. Worth noting it only covers National Highways managed roads. Sometimes roadworks can be called off very late in the day.

The Highways England app never got updated with the new National Highways brand (introduced 2021), and having had a quick look it appears to no longer be available on the Google Play app store.

(That said, National Highways still has an m-prefixed mobile website at m.highwaysengland.co.uk replete with old Highways England branding, and this is mentioned on the 'mobile services' page of their full website.)

 

[styles]

Starting at 8pm generally gives a full shift before they need to reopen a road for morning rush hour traffic.

National Highways generally do 10 hour 8pm-6am shifts if they need a full shift on a daily closure for this reason.

Because of this, 8pm has become a reliable start time for road workers, even if they can wrap up by midnight for whatever reason.

I really have no issue with these hours, even though it's the most popular time for me to be driving. The roads are clear, I've got a good podcast on, or Radio 1 for some stay-alert DnB. Cruise control can often get me through roadworks' lower speed limits quite happily.

 

[Iskra]

Starting at 8pm generally gives a full shift before they need to reopen a road for morning rush hour traffic.

National Highways generally do 10 hour 8pm-6am shifts if they need a full shift on a daily closure for this reason.

Because of this, 8pm has become a reliable start time for road workers, even if they can wrap up by midnight for whatever reason.

I really have no issue with these hours, even though it's the most popular time for me to be driving. The roads are clear, I've got a good podcast on, or Radio 1 for some stay-alert DnB. Cruise control can often get me through roadworks' lower speed limits quite happily.

Just to be clear: I have no issues with roadworks at 8pm, but entire road closures of major roads at such an early time. In the last few months I’ve had the M1 fully closed, the A1 which caused carnage on local roads and the junction on the M62 with the M1 near Wakefield, which wasn’t signed until you got there leading to a substantial diversion that could have been avoided as you can’t exit the motorway system there only transfer from one motorway to the other.

 

[styles]

Just to be clear: I have no issues with roadworks at 8pm, but entire road closures of major roads at such an early time. In the last few months I’ve had the M1 fully closed, the A1 which caused carnage on local roads and the junction on the M62 with the M1 near Wakefield, which wasn’t signed until you got there leading to a substantial diversion that could have been avoided as you can’t exit the motorway system there only transfer from one motorway to the other.

I should've been clearer also - I don't mind full road closures at this time either. The traffic is low, and frankly a diversion breaks up an otherwise monotonous journey down a motorway.