P TRAFFIC
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Hard shoulder trial moves to M6
DRIVERS ON A seven-mile stretch of the M6 will be able to run on the hard shoulder during the busiest times, as the M42 pilot is expanded to provide extra capacity in the run-up to Christmas.
The extension to the hard shoulder running scheme. which is already in place on the M42 between Junctions 4 and 6, was deployed on the M6 between Junction 4 (the M42) and Junction 5 (Castle Bromwich) yesterday Tim Harbot, regional director at the Highways Agency, says: "These improvements vvill help road users make their journeys safely and more reliably by using variable speed limits to manage the flow of traffic and opening up the hard shoulder as a running lane to provide additional capacity when required.
'Work continues on the M6 between Junction 8 (Rayhali) and Junction 10a (M54) to deliver hard
shoulder running We expect to open this scheme to traffic in spring 2011," On the M6, 96 lane-specific signals, 24 driver information signs and 23 overhead gantries have been installed.
The M42 hard shoulder scheme will also be extended to include the Ii first Through junction running' scheme in the UK. Drivers travelling southbound on the M42 at Junction 5 near Solihull will now be able to
drive along the motorway hard shoulder between junction slip roads.
According to the Highways Agency, this will provide a continuous four-lane section of motorway on the M42 southbound from J6 to J4.