CHESHIRE could be a traffic nightmare hotspot over the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday – and this is why. 

To celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, millions of us will be looking forward to a four-day weekend, with Thursday, June 2, and Friday, June 3 being official public holidays.

To help ease traffic congestion, National Highways will be suspending scores of planned roadworks until Monday, June 6.

But this doesn’t include all works. 

Analysts at Select Car Leasing say there are still a couple of ‘severe’ roadworks planned in Cheshire that will remain active during the Platinum Jubilee weekend – with lane closures and disruption predicted. 

This includes the M6 northbound, with two sets of roadworks – one between junction 18 and 19 near Knutsford, and another between J19 and J20 at Lymm. 

Despite cones being lifted in other locations across the country, the M6 roadworks here will be in place from now until 6am on Tuesday, June 7. 

Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, said: “There will be countless people loading up their cars and hitting the road to enjoy this special bank holiday. 

“And it’s great to see National Highways momentarily pausing some of its planned work across the long weekend. 

“But it’s still really important to plan your route and to check the National Highways website for any signs of potential disruption. 

“If there is a risk of being caught up in traffic, it’s also a very good idea to make sure you have a full tank of fuel before you set off, or the battery of your electric car is fully-charged.

“Packing lots of essentials, including food and water in case you’re stuck on the highway for any length of time, is also worthwhile.

“That’s doubly important if you’re transporting kids and pets.”

National Highways says there are five simple checks are a way to make sure the vehicle is roadworthy:

Tyres: Ensure pressures are suitable for the load and check the condition of tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear across the whole tyre including sidewall.

Engine oil: Check levels regularly and top up if needed. Take your car to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.

Water: Always keep topped up with a good ratio of water and screen wash to maximise the cleaning efficiency so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen easily.

Lights: If your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, your vehicle may fail its MOT.

Fuel: Before setting out make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destination. Running out of fuel can put you, your family and other road users at risk unnecessarily.