Hard shoulder plan criticised

Safety experts have slammed Government proposals to allow drivers to use the hard shoulder when motorways snarl up

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Plans to change hard shoulder into extra traffic lane called into question

08th September 2006

The Highways Agency (HA) is set to undertake a trial on one of the country's busiest M-ways, which will open the emergency lane to vehicles in a bid to ease congestion without the cost of building a new carriageway. Sensors running along the side of the M42 near Birmingham will monitor the flow of traffic, and if it becomes too heavy, overhead gantries will indicate that motorists can use the hard shoulder as a running lane.

A spokesman for the Highways Agency explained: "There are emergency refuge areas situated every 500 metres along this stretch of motorway, so people can use those in the event of a breakdown."

But RAC technical director David Bizley said he feared for drivers' safety. "Access for the emergency services in the event of an accident could be severely hampered if the hard shoulder is being used as an additional lane for traffic," he explained.

"It's going to take longer for them to get to the scene, which obviously results in more risk to the motorist."