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No discussion on shoulders
Page 16
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Hard shoulders really are going to be used for traffic — Chris Tindall reports.
THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY (HA) is pressing ahead with controversial plans to open up motorway hard shoulders to traffic in an effort to ease congestion, despite widespread concern about safety.
A pilot project on a section of the M42 is expected to begin in just over a year and there are plans to implement further schemes on the ML M62, M18 and Al (M).
Speaking at a conference in London last week, the HA's Richard Eastman said 'active traffic management' techniques, such as hard shoulder running and variable message signs are needed to contain congestion on the strategic roads network over the next decade.
"We will have evidence in the UK of hard shoulder running by 2005," he says "Shoulders offer an opportunity for a major increase in capacity: many of the other measures are not that significant." But a number of motoring organisations are expressed alarm that the HA is forging ahead without first asking their advice.
"They have created a fait accompli,says Gary Satchwell, chief executive of the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators. "They didn't consult with representatives from the recovery industry. What they have set up to do is ease traffic flow against safety."