Highways England has appointed companies to design and build 10 “smart motorways” across England as part of a £1.5bn investment.
Three of the projects will start in autumn this year: two in the Midlands – M1 junction 19 to junction 16 in Northamptonshire and the M5 Junction 4a to Junction 6 in Worcestershire; and one in the North West – M6 junction 16 to junction 19 near Stoke-on-Trent.
The smart motorway schemes, part of the £15bn government investment Highways England is delivering between now and 2021, will see 292 extra lane miles added to motorways. The hard shoulder will be converted to a traffic lane and signing and technology will tell drivers what speed to drive at, if lanes are blocked or closed and about incidents up ahead.
Roads minister, Andrew Jones, said: “As part of our long-term economic plan, we are investing more than £1.5bn over the next five years in upgrading congested sections of motorway. This means better journeys for millions of people across the country, easier access to jobs, and stronger links between towns and cities. This is good for the economy and good for Britain.”
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