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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Charlie Duffield

Motorhome drives wrong way up motorway slip road as cheeky drivers try to avoid roadwork jams

Frustrated motorists have horrified onlookers after they turned around and drove up the motorway slip road the wrong way, to avoid traffic jams this weekend.

In shocking video footage, several cars, vans and a motorhome can be seen cutting across hatched markings to skip the queues at J4a closeby to Fleet in Hants on the M3, on Saturday morning.

The driver of a dark blue SUV was spotted reversing back down the motorway and then turned round to drive into oncoming traffic up the slip road.

The frantic scenes were in response to the full closure between J4/A331 (Farnborough) and J3/A322 (Bagshot) due to emergency roadworks.

Frustrated motorists horrified onlookers as they turned round and drove the wrong way up a motorway slip road to avoid traffic jams this weekend (Solent News & Photo Agency)
The driver of a dark blue SUV was even seen reversing back down the motorway before turning round to drive into oncoming traffic up the slip road. (Solent News & Photo Agency)

This caused delays in temperatures of 25C as motorists were squeezed into one lane to exit towards the signed diversion.

Josh Larkins-Hayers, who captured the traffic carnage on his phone, was stuck in the jam for around 90 minutes.

The 23-year-old maintenance manager from Basingstoke said he was shocked by the 'dangerous' decisions of other drivers and wanted to highlight the risks they were taking.

Mr Larkins-Hayers said: "The traffic hold ups were due to construction roadworks. It is pretty silly to close a whole section of the motorway during August and the school holidays.

"However, some people should have more common sense and stick to the Highway Code."

The closure started at 9pm on Friday, August 5, and would continue until 6am on Monday, August 8.

A signed diversion was in place via the A30 London Road. National Highways said drivers should either avoid this area or look to use alternative routes if possible.

Hampshire Constabulary has been contacted for comment.

The driver of a dark blue SUV was even seen reversing back down the motorway before turning round to drive into oncoming traffic up the slip road (Solent News & Photo Agency)
The chaotic scenes on Saturday morning were the result of a full closure between J4/A331 (Farnborough) and J3/A322 (Bagshot) due to emergency roadworks (Solent News & Photo Agency)

At the start of the month, it was reported that a dad ditched his house for a life on the road after going through a midlife crisis.

Ian Reeves, 57, switched his home in West Derby, a suburb of Liverpool, with a motorhome five months ago and said the move was the best thing he's ever done.

Ian made the decision to move into his motorhome full-time after divorcing his wife and seeing the impact the pandemic had on his company.

He now enjoyed his somewhat nomadic lifestyle, travelling up and down the country and taking in the breathtaking views the northwest has to offer.

Ian is part of the motorhome community, which is made up of people of all ages, including those who have converted their vans on a budget and others who have bought a modern motorhome kitted out with all the amenities.

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