A MAJOR road that’s used by thousands of drivers a day is set to close in one direction in just hours.
The northbound carriageway between Barnsdale Bar and Ferrybridge will be closed from 8pm tonight until 6am on Saturday morning.
Commuters and late-night travellers are being warned to plan ahead and check their routes, with diversions in place through the local authority network.
The official diversion routes for tonight’s closure are as follows.
Drivers South of Wadworth (Junction 35) should stick to the motorway network by using the M62 and M18 to reach Ferrybridge Interchange.
Drivers North of Wadworth (Junction 35), should leave the A1 at Barnsdale Bar onto the A6201, then follow the A628 before re-joining the A1 via the A645 at Ferrybridge Interchange.
Alternatively, exit the A1 at Barnsdale Bar onto the A639, then rejoin the A1 via the A645 at Ferrybridge Interchange.
Clearly signed diversion routes will be in place to minimise disruption to surrounding villages, though drivers should still expect delays and longer journey times.
This is just the beginning of a series of disruptions on the busy A1, which sees thousands of vehicles passing through every day.
In addition to tonight’s full closure, the northbound carriageway will be reduced to a single lane on January 4.
Motorists will need to contend with overnight closures again on January 5 and 6, causing potential delays and longer journey times.
While the main carriageways are off-limits, a diversion route has been mapped out using local roads.
Officials are urging drivers to stick to the designated routes to avoid adding to the chaos on smaller streets.
With closures kicking off in just hours, drivers heading north on the A1 tonight are advised to leave early or find alternative routes.
Miss it, and you could be stuck in a long night of frustration.
It’s not just northbound drivers who will be hit.
The southbound carriageway will face its own share of issues, starting with a lane reduction on January 8.
Then, overnight closures will follow on January 7, 8, 9, and 10, as part of the same project.
The work, aimed at improving structures along the stretch of the A1, is part of a wider project that will cause lane closures and overnight shutdowns on both sides of the road.
The overall scheme isn’t expected to wrap up until late summer 2025, so drivers can expect disruption for months to come.
Elsewhere, drivers are bracing for travel chaos later this month as construction on a stretch of the A3, in Surrey, will begin.
Works will see the south of junction 10 with the M25 shut down in both directions from 9pm on January 17 to 6am on January 20.
Cockcrow Bridge will be the UK’s first heathland green bridge meaning it will allow safer crossings for wildlife living either side.
National Highways confirmed the £317million project is set to ease congestion on the busiest section of the M25 – junction 10 – used by over 300,000 cars daily.
Jonathan Wade, National Highways project manager, said the bridge, could see motorists ditch a short drive for ” a walk or cycle” instead.
The A3 will be closed to the junction at Send for the B2215/A247 from January 17 to 20.
Diversions will be in place, southbound via Cobham, Chessington, Great Bookham and Effingham, rejoining the A3 at Send and northbound via East Clandon, Effingham, Fetcham and onto the M25 towards Wisley.
This follows motorway closures earlier last month which disrupted thousands of drivers.
There were roadworks on the M25, M1, A1M, A405, and A414 in southern Hertfordshire due to safety repairs, maintenance, testing, and structure inspections.
A1 Northbound will be closed between barnsdale bar to ferrybridge, 8pm tonight, January 3 to 6am January 4.
The official diversion routes for tonight’s closure are as follows.
Drivers South of Wadworth (Junction 35) should stick to the motorway network by using the M62 and M18 to reach Ferrybridge Interchange.
Drivers North of Wadworth (Junction 35), should leave the A1 at Barnsdale Bar onto the A6201, then follow the A628 before re-joining the A1 via the A645 at Ferrybridge Interchange.
Alternatively, exit the A1 at Barnsdale Bar onto the A639, then rejoin the A1 via the A645 at Ferrybridge Interchange.
Clearly signed diversion routes will be in place to minimise disruption to surrounding villages, though drivers should still expect delays and longer journey times.
