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| 'Extra lane' scheme goes national | 'Extra lane' scheme goes national |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Motorists will be allowed to drive on the hard shoulder of motorways during busy times, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has said. | |
| The "extra lane" scheme will roll out on certain motorways in England following the success of a trial on the M42 in the West Midlands. | |
| It is intended to ease morning and evening rush-hour bottlenecks. | It is intended to ease morning and evening rush-hour bottlenecks. |
| Sensors detect traffic build-up, which trigger signs asking drivers to slow down and spread out. | |
| Reports suggest the scheme will be introduced in the next two years. | |
| During the trial, a 50mph speed limit was imposed while the "extra lanes" were in operation. | During the trial, a 50mph speed limit was imposed while the "extra lanes" were in operation. |
| The report on the M42 trial is expected to show a 13% increase in capacity and a reduction in journey times north by up to 25%. | |
| There are emergency refuges approximately every 500 metres along this section of motorway and that's where people can park safely if they break down Graham BowskillHighways Agency | There are emergency refuges approximately every 500 metres along this section of motorway and that's where people can park safely if they break down Graham BowskillHighways Agency |
| The BBC understands the system will be extended to the M6 near Birmingham at a cost of £150m. The M40 will also be included. | The BBC understands the system will be extended to the M6 near Birmingham at a cost of £150m. The M40 will also be included. |
| Other roads to be considered include the M1, M25, M4 and M20. | Other roads to be considered include the M1, M25, M4 and M20. |
| The report will also say there has been a drop in pollution around the M42, but Friends of the Earth (FoE) disagree. | |
| Tony Bosworth, from FoE, said: "It's effectively motorway widening on the cheap. | |
| "We believe it's simply going to encourage more drivers and cause an increase in carbon dioxide." | |
| Nowhere to stop | Nowhere to stop |
| The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said it had reservations about the changes when they were first introduced on the M42, near Birmingham. | The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said it had reservations about the changes when they were first introduced on the M42, near Birmingham. |
| Kevin Clinton, from RoSPA, said: "We were concerned that if the hard shoulder is used as a running lane, if there was a major crash it may take the emergency services longer to get there. | Kevin Clinton, from RoSPA, said: "We were concerned that if the hard shoulder is used as a running lane, if there was a major crash it may take the emergency services longer to get there. |
| "Or when someone breaks down, they may not be able to get their vehicle out of the running lane." | "Or when someone breaks down, they may not be able to get their vehicle out of the running lane." |
| There is a risk that rolling it out nationally there could be skimping which would be counter-productive and even dangerous Paul WattersHead of roads policy at the AA | |
| But Graham Bowskill, from the Highways Agency, told the BBC that the hard shoulder would not be opened to traffic if there was a broken down vehicle on it. | But Graham Bowskill, from the Highways Agency, told the BBC that the hard shoulder would not be opened to traffic if there was a broken down vehicle on it. |
| "We do actually have cameras that are constantly monitoring to see whether there are any parked vehicles," Mr Bowskill said. | "We do actually have cameras that are constantly monitoring to see whether there are any parked vehicles," Mr Bowskill said. |
| "At the same time, we've built additional safety features into the scheme. | "At the same time, we've built additional safety features into the scheme. |
| "There are emergency refuges approximately every 500 metres along this section of motorway and that's where people can park safely if they break down." | "There are emergency refuges approximately every 500 metres along this section of motorway and that's where people can park safely if they break down." |
| The BBC's Nicola Pearson said the M42 trial found that lowering the speed limit when the hard shoulder was open significantly reduced accidents. | The BBC's Nicola Pearson said the M42 trial found that lowering the speed limit when the hard shoulder was open significantly reduced accidents. |
| 'More comfortable' | |
| Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, said the M42 trial appeared to be working well although it had so far not been tested by a major incident. | Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, said the M42 trial appeared to be working well although it had so far not been tested by a major incident. |
| "It's a much more comfortable experience [for drivers]. They travel slower, but get to their journey destination quicker," he said. | "It's a much more comfortable experience [for drivers]. They travel slower, but get to their journey destination quicker," he said. |
| Mr Watters said his organisation backed the expansion if it was done "for the right reasons and in the right manner". | Mr Watters said his organisation backed the expansion if it was done "for the right reasons and in the right manner". |
| "We wouldn't support just taking the hard shoulder away." | "We wouldn't support just taking the hard shoulder away." |
| And he added: "There is a risk that rolling it out nationally there could be skimping which would be counter-productive and even dangerous." | And he added: "There is a risk that rolling it out nationally there could be skimping which would be counter-productive and even dangerous." |