RHA disappointed over M6 improvement

The RHA has studied carefully the Secretary of State’s statement this week on Motorways and Major Truck Roads; his core proposal is the wider adoption of hard shoulder running (HSR) as a more cost effective remedy for increasing motorway capacity rather than the construction of a fourth lane.

“We have no problem with the concept of HSR where obvious pinch points on the system can be addressed”, said RHA Chief Executive Roger King.

“However, we note that the statement admits that the current HSR facility on the M42 does not feature ‘ through-junction running’ so cannot really be called a fourth lane alternative”.

“It is the intention to introduce this on the M42 shortly and we would have thought experience in its operation should first be analysed before making such a grand commitment to introduce HRS nationally. And this we have repeatedly said to ministers”.

The RHA is also worried that the M6 north of Birmingham to Manchester, probably the UK's most congested inter-regional motorway, appears to be getting the HSR treatment throughout its 50-mile length, and then only within the next 10-15 years.

“This is clearly unacceptable”, said Roger King. “We need this road to have extra capacity now, not by 2025 as this proposal suggests. And whether HSR is the solution for such an extended length must be open to serious debate”.

The RHA is also disappointed that work on the M1 Junction 19/A14 is only scheduled for 2010/2012 and then only for ‘improvements’.

“This junction is notorious for accidents and congestion and really needs rebuilding”, continued Roger King. “In fact a previous transport minister, John Spellar, promised as such several years ago. Simply tinkering will not provide much of a solution”.

The RHA will be pressing the DfT on its priorities and preferred solutions as a consequence of this paper.