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Highways Agency to begin M50 resurfacing works between junctions 1 to 3

Government Communications (NDS)

26 May 2011

Resurfacing will be carried out in both directions and once complete, will improve safety for road users and provide a quieter road surface. Work will also include replacing road marking, studs and traffic detector loops.For the duration of the work, lane restrictions will be in place on both the east and westbound carriageway with a 40mph speed restriction in place which will be enforced with speed cameras. There will also be three overnight closures required to install the traffic management. Lane 2 closures will be in place at the start and the end of the scheme. These will be 24 hours a day from 31 May to 5 June and then again from 25 July to 27 July. The first overnight closure will be from 20:00 Saturday 4 June to 06:00 Sunday 5 June in order to install a contra flow. Work will then take place during daytime hours on the westbound carriageway with the westbound on and off slip roads at junction 2 both closed from 6 June. The westbound on slip will re-open on 12 June and the off slip on 27 June. A second overnight closure will take place from 20:00 Sunday 26 June to 06:00 Monday 27 June so that the contra flow can be switched to the other carriageway. Work will then take place during the daytime hours on the eastbound carriageway, with the eastbound on and off slips at junction 2 both closed from 27 June. The off slip will re-open on 7 July and the on slip on 25 July. A final overnight closure will then take place from 20:00 Sunday 24 July to 06:00 Monday 25 July for the removal of the traffic management. Diversions will be clearly signposted throughout the closures. Laura Mobley, Highways Agency project sponsor, said:"The Highways Agency is committed to minimising delays when carrying out road improvements. This resurfacing work will ensure the carriageway is maintained in good condition and improve safety for road users. "Drivers are reminded to drive safely at roadworks and to observe the temporary 40mph speed limit, which is in place on the for the safety of road users and road workers." ENDNOTES TO EDITORS Issued by the Highways Agency (West Midlands). For further information please contact Joanne Carroll on telephone number 0121 421 8867 or 07833 049390. Media enquiries out of hours should be made to the Highways Agency National Press Office (24hrs) on 0207 081 7443.The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. It manages, maintains and improves England’s motorways and trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State. Maintenance and improvement projects are carefully planned to allow works to be completed safely, in a cost effective way, while keeping disruption to road users to a minimum. As much work as possible is done overnight and when roads are less busy in order to keep more lanes open for road users at peak travel times. Drivers are advised to check their route for road works and allow extra time for their journeys where needed. A variety of journey planning tools are available for road users to check travel conditions on the roads managed by the Highways Agency, that does all it can to keep road users informed.Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available:- From the Highways Agency’s Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the ‘scan’ button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach ‘Traffic Radio’.- From the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic or www.highways.gov.uk/mobile if using a phone or mobile device. Before using any mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it’s safe and legal before you call.- By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT residential landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary).4. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 at any time. Calls from landlines to 0300 and 08700 numbers can cost up to 8p per minute but are free from some landline providers: calls from mobiles usually cost more. Please check costs with your service provider.Safety at roadworks The Highways Agency is working with the industry and road users to reduce the risks of working on the roads. For the safety of road workers and all road users, when you are approaching roadworks:- Keep within the speed limit – it is there for your safety.- Get into the correct lane in good time – don’t keep switching.- Concentrate on the road ahead, not the roadworks.- Be alert for works’ traffic leaving or entering roadworks.- Keep a safe distance – there could be queues in front.- Observe all signs – they are there to help you.Receive our national and regional press releases by RSS and get the latest headlines straight to your desktop the moment we publish them to our website. Choose to receive a national press feed or one of our regionalised feeds - go to www.highways.gov.uk/rssnews for more information.