Work on M6 smart M-way continues despite review
MULTI-MILLION pound congestion-busting ‘smart motorway’ works between the M6’s junction with the M69 and junction five are carrying on despite a government review.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said no new smart motorways will be opened until a safety review is done.
But the £234m works on 13.6mile stretch of the M6 between the junction two with the M69 and Coleshill are carrying on regardless.
A Highways England spokesperson said: “We are continuing to carry out work on smart motorways.
“We look forward to the imminent publication of the DfT’s stocktake and stand ready to implement its recommendations.”
Since winter 2017, motorists have faced traffic jams as a result of the works which Highways England says will stop traffic jams snarling into Coventry and onto the A444 heading towards Nuneaton and Bedworth.
According to its website, the latest works are to resurface the carriageway and install and test the technology which will support the smart motorway.
Since the start of the works, the plan was for the new Smart Motorway stretch to open this March.
But with March already here and the Government review, this date has been thrown into question.
Once finished, the new-look stretch of the M6 will feature:
■ Three controlled motorway lanes, retaining the hard shoulder from J3a to J4 where the motorway will tie into the existing controlled motorway
■ A four-lane smart motorway between J2 to J3a with a hard shoulder next to the current ‘climbing lane’ travelling eastbound
■ Installation of new electronic information signs and signals, radar detection and CCTV cameras - these will be used to vary speed limits which allow management of traffic flow and incidents