{
  "id": 8233538,
  "title": "Drivers ignoring roadwork closures to skip queues ‘wilfully putting lives at risk’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/drivers-ignoring-roadwork-closures-to-skip-queues-wilfully-putting",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T11:00:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/18/drivers-roadwork-closures-skip-queues-national-highways-england"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Drivers deliberately driving through cones or barriers in roadwork closures on England's motorways and major roads this year, says National Highways, are putting lives at risk. The agency managing motorways and major roads reported an increasing number of incidents where drivers intentionally entered closed-off areas, incurring 53% of 814 nationwide incidents between January and July of this year. These incidents often led to significant delays for road users and caused repeated dangerous driving around roadworks. In response, National Highways closed parts of motorways to protect workers, leading to successful prosecutions and driving bans. National Highways data showed a \"worrying number\" of drivers \"wilfully ignoring roadworks to save time,\" with the director of health, safety, and wellbeing, Melanie Clarke, emphasizing the risk to road workers and other road users. In one case, an incursion on the M1 motorway in Hertfordshire led to its closure, creating a 10-mile diversion for drivers. While most incursions were intentional, factors like breakdowns or driver error also contributed. Clarke encouraged road workers to report instances of dangerous incursions, stating that drivers should understand the risks involved in crossing roadwork areas. At least one fatality had occurred because of incursions this year; however, despite occasional driver perceptions, roads were never sealed without ongoing or imminent work.",
  "summary": "Hundreds of cars driven through cones or barriers in England this year, says National Highways Drivers ignoring roadwork closures to skip queues are putting lives at risk, National Highways has warned, after recording hundreds of incidents this year where cars were deliberately driven through cones or barriers. The agency, which manages motorways and major roads, said there was increasing concern…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}