Hard shoulder opens to beat M6 queues
The hard shoulder along the busy M6 through the Black Country was officially opened to traffic in rush hour today in a bid to beat years of nightmare queues.
The hard shoulder along the busy M6 through the Black Country was officially opened to traffic in rush hour today in a bid to beat years of nightmare queues.
The section between Junctions 8 and 10A was went live shortly after 7am marking the completion of a £150 million project which began in 2009.
It is intended to keep traffic moving and end the daily nightmare jams which build up along one of the busiest sections of motorway in Europe.
Drivers are now limited to 50mph during rush hour under variable speed limits activated at peak times.
Highways bosses believe, with the hard shoulder running, the number of accidents and casualities on the motorway will reduce, traffic will run more smoothly and each vehicle would make an average daily saving of about two minutes on their journey during peak times.
Motorists have already been given a taste of the scheme with tests taking place over the last two weeks.
Today roads minister Mike Penning flipped the switch and activated the system between the 6.7 mile stretch spanning from Wednesbury to north of Wolverhampton.
The scheme comes following the successful use of hard shoulder running on two other stretches of the busy 'Birmingham Box' motorway network.
In total, more than 22 miles of motorway in the region now have hard shoulder running — and it is being extended in the area and nationally.
Highways bosses said that accidents had more than halved since hard shoulder running was introduced on 10.5 miles of the M42 from Junction 3A to Junction 7, to the east of Birmingham in 2006.
Journey times have also improved between the M40 junction 16, near Lapworth and M6 Junction 5, near Birmingham, since the introduction of two sections of hard shoulder running.
Mr Penning said at the launch: "I was one of many who were sceptical about hard shoulder running. Being an ex-fireman, I know how dangerous hard shoulders can be, I needed to be convinced and I have been convinced. It has already worked on the M42, it has increased capacity, reduced the number of accidents and the traffic is running more smoothly."
He added: "The Government is committed to delivering transport projects which improve journeys and help economic growth so I am pleased to open this hard shoulder running scheme."
Around 100 cameras — some monitoring traffic and others watching speed — have been installed on the route along with refuge points every 800 metres. All four lanes are expected to operate at peak periods from around 7.30-9.30am and 4-6pm.
