PEDESTRIANS are being warned not to cross motorways on their way home from Christmas parties.

The Highways Agency and the North West Motorway Police Group have joined forces to remind people they could be killed if they use the motorway network as a shortcut.

Officers say the number of incidents involving pedestrians on the region’s motorways increase to about a dozen a day over the festive period.

Highways Agency Traffic officers say they will increase their “vigilance” for pedestrians over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

John McTaggart, the Highways Agency’s regional operations manager in charge of the North West Traffic Officer Service, said: “The last thing we want is a Christmas tragedy because someone has decided to take a shortcut home after a party by walking along the hard shoulder or across a motorway carriageway.

“As well as being dangerous, it is illegal for any pedestrian to be on the hard shoulder or any other part of the motorway network, including slip roads and roundabouts and of course the main carriageways.

“Incidents on the motorway network involving pedestrians who have no reason to be there in the first place are not only tragic but also cause distress to our officers and the emergency services — and hours of delays for legitimate motorway users.”

Insp Andy Chandler, of the North West Motorway Police Group, said anyone caught walking along the motorway network faced a £30 fixed penalty notice fine.

He added: “The hard shoulder is there for legitimate motorway users in the event of an emergency or breakdown.

“It is no place for pedestrians looking for a shortcut home.

“The motorway can be a hostile environment for people straying on to it at the best of times, let alone in the middle of winter when, possibly worse for wear, the dark and cold and high speed vehicles can easily get the better of them.”