Motorway congestion to be eased using hard shoulder

Motorway congestion might be eased by allowing motorists to use the 'hard shoulder' as an additional driving lane.

Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, will present to the government the findings of a Highways Agency trial conducted on the M42, near Birmingham, which saw CCTV cameras monitoring traffic flow.

Once tailbacks had started to build, overhead signs would indicate that drivers could occupy the hard shoulder, with a speed limit of 50mph, to ease the traffic and improve the flow.

This was so successful that the scheme may be extended to other motorways such as the M1 and M6. Caravan owners are sure to welcome the news as they are more aware than most of the frustrations of peak-hour congestion.

Ms Kelly said: "New traffic management techniques, like hard shoulder running and varying speed limits, offer practical and cost-effective solutions to cutting congestion.

"Other important benefits are less disruption from road works, reduced environmental impacts, better information for drivers and a faster, more effective response to accidents."

Organisations such as RoSPA and Brake have expressed concern about the emergency services being able to get to major accidents.

Graham Bowskill of the Highways Agency has reassured drivers that the CCTV cameras would detect problems and that the lane would not be used.

23/10/2007 17:18:32