M1 emergency refuge work is continuing

WORKS to install emergency refuge areas on a stretch of the M1 are continuing.

National Highways is building an additional ten emergency areas between junction 30 for Barlborough and junction 31 for Aston.

The stretch of motorway is a so-called “smart motorway”, where there is an active lane of traffic instead of a hard shoulder.

The Government announced in April that it would stop building smart motorways but many grieving families across the country have voiced strong concerns about the safety of those already in place.

Our sister paper the Nottingham Post backs those families and says the Government has not gone far enough, and that hard shoulders should be reinstated on all smart motorways. It has covered inquests, family tributes and political responses on the matter and launched a campaign last year.

Eight coroners from across the UK have also issued prevention of further death notices about smart motorways. Now, National Highways is carrying out retrospective works to install emergency refuge areas on them.

Work to install the extra areas on the M1 between junction 32 for the M18 and junction 35A at Stocksbridge is already under way. That is not due to be completed until next winter with a 50mph speed limit in force.

National Highways said work is also under way on the stretch between junction 30 and 31. The left-hand lane is closed throughout construction, in both directions, and a 50mph speed limit is also in place on that stretch.

The work is being carried out from Monday to Friday from 7am until 7pm. Some overnight and weekend work may be required, and this will be communicated in advance, National Highways added.

A National Highways spokesman said: “We have listened to drivers’ concerns about being able to find a safe place to stop in an emergency on all-lane running (ALR) smart motorways.

“We have been developing a programme to create additional emergency areas on sections of ALR motorway across the country, including an additional 12 emergency areas on the M1 between junctions 32 and 35A, in addition to the existing eight.

“We are now ready to start this work between junction 30 and 31 of the M1. On motorways that don’t have a permanent hard shoulder, emergency areas provide a place to stop in an emergency if you can’t exit the motorway or stop at a motorway service area.”