Motorists drive through roadworks on A13

More than 40 cases of the public deliberately ignoring road closures on the A13 in Essex were recorded last year.

Highways England has released the shocking figures which were recorded by road workers working on the improvement scheme to widen the A13 and M25 at junction 30.

The interchange between the A13 and the M25 at junction 30 near Thurrock in Essex is being overhauled to reduce congestion and improve safety. The A13 on approach to the junction is being widened to four lanes in each direction, and the junction itself will be improved, with new dedicated link roads between the M25 and the A13. The work is due to be completed in autumn 2016.

Highways England project manager Lizzie Pauling said: “Safety is Highways England’s top priority. We are concerned by the number of drivers choosing to ignore closures and putting their safety and the safety of others at risk. The improvements to the A13 and M25 will improve safety and reduce congestion for the tens of thousands of drivers who use this section each day.”

During 2015 a range of vehicles were seen driving into the worksite or ignoring carriageway closures. In June, an item was thrown from a moving vehicle on the A13 which hit and damaged one of the road worker’s vehicles.