Roadworks in Britain are being suspended for almost a week amid fears that a threatened national rail strike will clog up the country’s motorways and other routes.

File picture of motorists queuing in heavy traffic on the M25 between junction 12 and 13 at the start of the Easter getaway as travellers face disruption on the railways and jams on the roads during Easter.

File picture of motorists queuing in heavy traffic on the M25 between junction 12 and 13 .Image by Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association at Network Rail are set to stage a 24-hour walkout from 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 25 May,  in a row over pay.

Talks are being held at the conciliation service Acas in a bid to resolve the dispute, but Highways England has announced an extension to the removal of roadworks in case the action goes ahead.

Travellers are expected to switch from rail to road over the weekend if there is a strike, leading to much heavier traffic than normal for a bank holiday weekend.

Roadworks are usually reinstated on the Tuesday after a bank holiday break, but Highways England is not planning to reinstate roadworks until 6am on Thursday May 28.

Amost 400 lane-miles of roadworks on motorways and A roads will be removed or suspended by 6am on Friday 22.

(Press Association)