Plan for M1 hard shoulder to open to motorists
The entire section of the M1 through Northamptonshire could see the hard shoulder opened up for motorists to drive on.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly today announced a 6bn package to make better use of motorways and tackle congestion, and confirmed that the M1 from junctions 10 to 19 is being considered for hard shoulder running.
A new A421 dual carriageway linking Bedford to the M1 was also given the go-ahead, taking the scheme closer to construction starting later this year.
Mrs Kelly said: "I am determined to get the best from our road network so that motorists have reliable journey times on roads that are safe and well-managed.
"The greatest barrier to this is congestion. It is frustrating and has serious consequences for the economy and the environment.
"To achieve this we need a smarter programme of investment. This includes measures like opening the hard shoulder when traffic is at its heaviest, alongside some conventional widening where that makes best sense.
"Where we add new capacity through measures like this I am also interested to see what role car share or tolled lanes could play in helping traffic flow more smoothly."
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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