Drivers are able to use the hard shoulder on a stretch of the M6 motorway in the West Midlands during busy times from today – although they face scores of speed cameras.

The emergency lane on the motorway between Junctions 4 for Coleshill and Junction 5 for Castle Bromwich will open during peak times to cut down on congestion. The hard shoulder running scheme costs 40 per cent less than building a new lane and follows a trial on the M42, which the Department for Transport says was a success.

It includes 23 overhead gantries with at least one average speed camera on each to monitor cars over the whole section and 96 speed limit indicator signs.

The hard shoulder opens when sensors on the gantries detect high levels of congestion and the limit is then cut to 50mph. Displays tell drivers of the change.

Highways Agency senior project manager Paul Unwin today said there would be a handful of speed cameras at each section where the scheme would be operating. He added: “We only need a handful, we have excellent compliance with the speed limits, something like 96 per cent.”

He said the cameras would only be operating during busy times when the hard shoulder was being used as an extra lane.

Transport minister Chris Mole today said: “It is just like any other speed limit, we expect people to stick by it. The whole scheme has been designed with safety in mind.”

Results on the M42 have shown that drivers have had more reliable journey times, with a reduction in the number of accidents from an average of 5.1 a month to 1.8 a month since the introduction of hard shoulder running.

Mr Mole said: “The M6 is the first motorway after the successful M42 pilot to see the hard shoulder opened up as a running lane to ease congestion and make journey times more reliable.

“This crucial scheme will make an invaluable contribution to business and economy and I am delighted that the benefits are being brought to road users on this vital national transport spine a month ahead of schedule.”