Motorways prepare for major delays as Concorde makes its last flight

London, October 22 -- With the last Concorde flight from New York to Heathrow crossing over the M25 at around 4.00pm on Friday, 24th October, Trafficmaster warns that there will be major delays on the Western section of the M25, and on the Home County sections of the M4 and the M1. The heavy delays will be due to an expected influx of sightseers mixed with Friday night commuter traffic and holidaymakers heading off for the Autumn half term holiday.

This Friday is typically one of the worst days of the year as it heralds the second of the staggered Autumn half term holidays, and with Concorde making its last flight at the busiest time of the day as commuters travel home, congestion around Heathrow is likely to increase threefold.

David Martell, chief executive of Trafficmaster, says:

"It is likely to be bedlam on the M25 around Heathrow on Friday. The timing of the last flight of Concorde couldn't be worse as it flies over on one of the worst days of the year for traffic and at one of the worst times of the day. It is advisable that motorists try and avoid the area from about 1.00pm through to 8.00 o'clock in the evening."

There are other areas across the country that are likely to suffer from an increase in traffic on Friday due to the combination of commuter traffic and half term holiday makers travelling at the same time.

The worst areas include:

- M6 through the West Midlands

- M25 Western and Northern sectors

- M1 through East Midlands

- M6 around Thelwall Viaduct

- M4 towards Bristol and the West Country

- M5 from Birmingham to the West Country.

- M11 towards Stansted

- A14, especially between Huntingdon and Cambridge

- M6 and M55 towards Blackpool and the Lake District

Georgina Osborn, telephone: +44 (0)1234 759315 / email: georgina.Osborn@trafficmaster.co.uk or Michele Murphy, telephone: +44 (0)1234 759309 / email: michele.Murphy@trafficmaster.co.uk