Bank holiday weekend traffic warnings for Liverpool and Merseyside - roads to avoid, closures and congestion

This weekend sees the first of three bank holidays in May and road experts predict it will be the busiest of the lot. Motoring organisation the RAC has predicted 17.2m trips will be made on UK roads between Friday (28 April) and Monday (1 May).

Roads are expected to be busiest on Friday afternoon when holidaymakers hit commuter traffic - with warnings average journey times on busy routes may double.

There are a number of road closures for motorists to contend with across the Liverpool City Region during the bank holiday weekend, with the Queensway Mersey Tunnel also shut.

National Highways have put together a list of when and where A roads and motorways in the region will be closed. Remember, the closures could also have an effect on nearby roads.

Road closures and delays according to National Highways

• Knowsley: From 8pm April 11 to 6am on April 29, there will be slight delays (under 10 minutes) on the M57. On the M62 in both directions - J6 to Tarbock Island - there will be a lane closure.
• Liverpool: No listed closures over the bank holiday weekend (National Highways is responsible for maintaining motorways and major A-roads, so closures of smaller roads will not be included in their schedule).
• Sefton: From 8pm April 17 to 6am on June 1, there will be slight delays (under 10 minutes) on the A5036 in both directions - Park Lane to Netherton Way closure due to construction improvement.
• Until October 12 2023, there will be moderate delays (10-30 minutes) on the A5036 eastbound and westbound - Kirkstone to Netherton - lane closure for carriageway reconstruction/renewal.
• St Helens: From 9pm April 24 to 6am on May 1, there will be moderate delays (10-30 minutes): M6 North and southbound, junction 21A - 26 lane closures and carriageway closures due to SMART improvement work.
• Wirral: From April 26 to 5am on April 30, there will be moderate delays (10-30 minutes) on the M53. M53 northbound and southbound, junction 4 to junction 5 - carriageway closure for drainage.

Data company Inrix also highlighted following locations as hotspots for congestion over the bank holiday period: the M6 northbound from Junction 18 (Chester) to Junction 24 (Liverpool).

Tunnel closures

The Queensway (Birkenhead) Mersey Tunnel will be closed to all traffic on Monday night due to essential maintenance work. Closures will continue throughout the week:

• From 9pm on Monday May 1 until 6:30pm on Tuesday May 2.
• From 9pm on Tuesday May 2 until 6:30pm on Wednesday May 3.
• From 11pm on Wednesday May 3 until 6:30pm on Thursday May 4.
• From 9pm on Thursday May 4 until 6:30pm on Friday May 5.

During the closure of the Queensway (Birkenhead) Mersey Tunnel, the Kingsway (Wallasey) Mersey Tunnel will remain fully open in both directions.