Motorists will drive on hard shoulders after ministers scrapped plans to widen the overcrowded motorway network. An extra lane was to be added to 220 miles of motorways but it was decided it would cost too much.
Long sections of the M6 the M1 the M62 and the M25 will now have ‘hard shoulder running’. It is proposed that this will happen at peak times to relieve congestion. Traffic flow will be monitored by CCTV with maximum speed limits of 62 mph; speed limits will be reduced if necessary. In case of breakdown or other problems there will be ‘emergency refuge areas’ set up every 800 yards.
Road safety group Brake said they have serious concerns about using the hard shoulder as it is used by emergency vehicles to get to the scene of an accident as quickly as possible without endangering other vehicles. The AA have similar concerns and also added that hard shoulder running only addresses short term congestion and it is really road widening on the cheap.
Plans to widen the overcrowded motorway network were scrapped recently in favour of allowing motorists to use the hard shoulder. 220 miles of motorways were to get an extra lane added but it was decided by ministers that it would cost too much.
Long sections of the M6 the M1 the M62 and the M25 will now have ‘hard shoulder running’. To relieve congestion traffic flow will be monitored by CCTV at peak times with maximum speed limits of 62 mph; speed limits will be reduced if necessary. In the case of a breakdown or other problems there will be ‘emergency refuge areas’ set up every 800 yards.
Road safety group Brake raised serious concerns about using the hard shoulder as it is used by emergency vehicles to get to the scene of an accident as quickly as possible. The AA have similar concerns and also added that hard shoulder running only addresses short term congestion and it is really road widening on the cheap.
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