Experts have warned drivers of traffic chaos for the rest of this week with a major festival taking place which could leave motorists delayed on the M5.
National Highways has issued a warning to Britons using the M5 this week to plan ahead given the increased traffic for the duration of the Cheltenham Festival.
Cheltenham will take place between Tuesday, March 12 and Friday, March 15, with more than 270,000 racegoers expected to attend throughout the week.
Friday is expected to see the worst traffic levels of the week as excited racing fans watch the Gold Cup centenary race.
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Around 270,000 people could travel to the Cheltenham Festival
GETTY
Expects have predicted that it could see 68,500 people attend on a single day with the busiest times set to be between 9.30am and 12.30pm each day.
Drivers could see potential delays on the M5 between J9 and J11, on the A40 west of Junction 11 and on the A46 east of Junction 9.
Kathryn Wiltshire, South West Network Resilience Planner for National Highways, said: “Junctions 10 and 11 of the M5 are likely to be busy on these days, particularly the Friday.
“Our aim is to keep the National Highways network running while keeping all road users safe and informed, and we’re advising all drivers to check our traffic and travel information channels, to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for their journeys.”
In the lead-up to the Cheltenham Festival, drivers using the M5 have already been hit with traffic delays after a collision involving two cars this morning.
Traffic was temporarily held on the M5, and stationary traffic had been seen after a collision on the M5 Southbound from J7 A44 (Worcester/Evesham) to J8 M50.
Footage from National Highways shows long delays with traffic at a standstill, with drivers being urged to avoid the area.
Inrix, the traffic reporting website, said: “A419 Southbound blocked, slow traffic due to accident between M5 J13 Stroud Interchange and Spring Hill.”
All lanes have since been re-opened although residual delays remain after the collision.
Millions of motorists will experience delays on another stretch of motorway when work takes place on the M25 at the end of this week.
From 9pm on Friday, March 15, to Monday, March 18 at 6am, the M25 will be shut between Junction 10 and Junction 11.
Drivers are being urged to only travel if it is absolutely necessary, with long delays possible as National Highways warning residents, holidaymakers, concertgoers and sports fans.
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Cheltenham Festival will start on Tuesday and end on Friday
PA
Road traffic experts have also warned that other areas of the M25 and surrounding motorways will also feel the impact of the closure with “heavy congestion” expected.
This will be the first of five closures between March and September of this year.