NORTH-EAST motorists ignored road closures to illegally force their way through roadworks schemes more than 1,200 times in a year-long period.

Highways England said in 62 per cent of the recorded 1,224 cases in the region motorists blamed breakdowns for the incursions.

Twenty per cent admitted it was to speed up their journey and 9.4 per cent said they were simply confused by signage.

The figures related to the period between July 2016 and September 2017.

Highways England said across the country there had been a catalogue of serious incidents and near misses where motorists had driven into coned off areas where road workers were working.

In some instances workers had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse with 314 incidents of this nature being recorded since October 2014.

Mike Wilson, executive director of engineering and standards at Highways England said: “While we plan our maintenance and improvement works to minimise inconvenience to drivers, some road closures are necessary, and ultimately for the benefit of road users.

“Drivers who selfishly and illegally ignore these traffic restrictions to force their way through are putting both their lives and those of our road workers at risk – all to save a few minutes on their journey.”

The Highways Agency has now released video footage showing a series of dangerous incidents including a motorist mounting a pavement and a lorry driving through coned roadworks on the M1.

To view the video footage visit: https://youtu.be/MhBr-FJ2Pl8 or https://youtu.be/7EwGPTV1TBk