Hard shoulder plan to cut M1 congestion

The project covers the full stretch of the motorway through the Rotherham borough, and the Government says the changes will reduce congestion and allow quicker response times to incidents.

More than 110,000 vehicles use the section between junction 32 at Thurcroft and junction 35A at Chapeltown daily.

After the improvement project, confirmed as part of last month’s spending review, traffic will be controlled by overhead signs.

The hard shoulder will be opened to traffic and speed limit reduced to 60mph.

Emergency refuge areas will be provided at regular intervals.

Further south, between junctions 28 and 31, the road will become a “managed motorway,” making the best use of existing road space to help beat congestion and improve safety.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: “We are now preparing a programme for the delivery of these schemes with the aim of securing efficiency savings through a range of measures including the use of materials, labour, engineering and equipment.

“The Agency will announce a programme for these schemes, and outline plans, in spring, 2011.”