News

The Department for Transport (DfT) is giving nothing away about its expected announcement this week on the results of the hard-shoulder running scheme piloted on the M42. The scheme, piloted for more than a year, makes the hard shoulder available to drivers at peak times in a bid to reduce congestion. The DfT promises a report "on the success, or otherwise" of the trial in line with this week's announcement.

But a department spokesman will not confirm national press reports that the scheme  will be extended to other motorways in the country. "There will be an announcement, and it will be on the M42 and it will talk about how active traffic management can be used in the future," he says.

The Freight Transport Association welcomes any possibility of the scheme's extension to other motorways. Midlands policy director Stephen Kelly says: "The sooner this is rolled out to other congested bottlenecks, the better. It makes common sense." But he warns that such schemes are "not a long-term solution".

The Road Haulage Assoc-iation regional director for the Midlands and West Mike Farmer is more fearful that the scheme can be used as a cheap solution to move away from more costly measures to improve congestion on the motorways. "We were very sceptical to start with, but it appears to be working," he says. "But we need to be very careful on this one. We would still prefer additional running lanes, but would take this as second best."