Repeated dangerous driving around roadworks has led National Highways to close parts of motorways to protect workers rather than just closing lanes, causing significant delays for road users.<\/p>\n
To highlight the issue, the agency released clips showing drivers entering closed-off roadworks areas, which led to successful prosecutions and driving bans. They included footage of the M1 motorway in Hertfordshire, where repeated incursions earlier this year led to it being closed completely to keep workers safe, creating a 10-mile diversion for drivers. There were no casualties in any of the incidents shown.<\/p>\n
![\"Footage](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/883.jpg\")
Footage shows reckless drivers entering closed off roadwork areas \u2013 video<\/p>\n
On average, about 30 incursions a week are recorded across England\u2019s motorways and A-roads. While most are defined as \u201cseeking benefit\u201d \u2013 drivers deliberately entering restricted roadwork areas hoping for a short cut \u2013 factors including breakdowns or simple driver error also lead to dangerous incursions.<\/p>\n
In the latter cases, however, most drivers quickly stop and seek assistance, according to Melanie Clarke, the director of health, safety and wellbeing at National Highways. She said the latest figures showed \u201ca worrying number of drivers wilfully ignoring roadworks to save time, putting road workers and other people at risk\u201d.<\/p>\n
Clarke said: \u201cThis year alone there have been over 400 incidents of those \u2018seeking benefits\u2019 as we describe it. We are definitely seeing a rise. We really encourage our road workers to report these instances so we can understand the level of the risk that they are facing when they are simply just trying to do their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cDrivers who just come through to avoid the closure or diversion are often travelling at speed and not necessarily aware of the activities that are going on within the roadworks. Often there\u2019s plant, there\u2019s machinery, the surface may already been treated. Obviously our concern is for our road workers \u2013 but those drivers need to understand that they also put themselves at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
At least one fatality had occurred because of incursions this year, Clarke said.<\/p>\n
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