Major Motorway Scheme Begins
4 March 2010
Major construction work on a vital Costain joint venture scheme
to reduce congestion and improve safety on the M1 in Bedfordshire
was officially started this week by Transport Minister, Chris
Mole.
When the Managed Motorways scheme is complete in spring 2013,
motorists travelling on a 15-mile stretch of one of England's
busiest motorways will be able to use the hard shoulder as a
traffic lane during busy periods - increasing capacity and
improving journey times.
The Transport Minister today witnessed the official start of
major construction of the scheme between junctions 10 (Luton) and
13 (Milton Keynes). Preparatory work started in August 2009 - six
months earlier than planned thanks to £16.6m of Government fiscal
stimulus funding.
Chris Mole said:
"The M1 in Bedfordshire is the first stretch of motorway outside
the West Midlands where we are introducing a Managed Motorways
scheme. This means the hard shoulder can be opened as a running
lane at busy times to ease congestion.
"The M1 is a key artery which impacts upon both national and
local economies, moving goods and people around the country, and
supporting investment. I am delighted that the proven benefits of
hard shoulder running are being brought to road users on this vital
national transport spine. This crucial scheme will make an
invaluable contribution to business and economy by increasing
capacity, improving journey time reliability and safety.
"This is part of the Government's commitment to delivering
innovative solutions to tackle congestion. Two Managed Motorways
schemes are already successfully operating on sections of the M6
and the M42 in the West Midlands. Results from the M42 pilot
demonstrate more reliable journey times for drivers and a reduction
in the number of accidents - and now users of the M1 in
Bedfordshire can look forward to these benefits."
Ends