Motoring Discussion > Hard shoulder running for M25 Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Pat Replies: 9
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New Mon 15 Oct 12 17:51 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - Pat
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Pat
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New Mon 15 Oct 12 17:59 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - Zero
Ace, cant wait till they bring it in on the section between leatherhead and reigate, the bits where the hard shoulder runs in a separate span under the bridges will be fun, specially when there is always a lithuanian lorry parked there while the driver has a nap.
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New Mon 15 Oct 12 22:34 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - Dave_
As a Midlander I use HS running lanes every day on the M1, M6 and/or M42. They're easy to use and traffic is very well disciplined on them, guided by the frequent signs ("congestion - use hard shoulder" x4, then "hard shoulder for junct 5 only" etc).

Since they were introduced on the M42 the inevitable 3pm-7pm traffic jams have disappeared altogether, along with the morning ones on the M6 up to Castle Bromwich.
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New Tue 16 Oct 12 09:46 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - L'escargot
What will happen if a vehicle needs to stop in an emergency where there is no longer a hard shoulder?
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New Tue 16 Oct 12 10:05 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - oilburner
The cameras are supposed to detect a broken down vehicle and close the lane down sharpish.

They also add refuges in every so often.

Never seen a problem on the M42 in the several years its been in service, although the one thing I have noticed is that since it was brought in on the M6, when the hard shoulder is not in use, you sometimes get some bright spark driving in it anyway...
Last edited by: oilburner on Tue 16 Oct 12 at 10:06
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New Tue 16 Oct 12 10:14 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - Zero
you get that on the M25 and its never had variable hard shoulder running!
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New Tue 16 Oct 12 17:48 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - Jacks
They are also converting the M4 (J19-20) and M5 (J15-17) tovariable hard shoulder running.

For those out of the area this is the M4 Bristol turn off (M32 junction) westbound to the M4/M5 Almondsbury Interchange - and then on down the M5 southbound to J17 which is the Cribbs Causeway junction by the adjacent Asda and one junction before the Avonmouth bridge(J18) which is itself 4 lanes.

Work started in January and it will carry on until spring 2014, they have installed approx half of the 33 overhead gantries . The cost is £88M.

It's a very busy section and this should improve matters when the project is complete although us locals are putting up with 50 mph limits and narrow lanes throughout the whole stretch regardless of which bit they are working on - there's a shunt most datys with inevitable (even longer) delays.

J
Last edited by: Jacks on Tue 16 Oct 12 at 17:48
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New Tue 16 Oct 12 17:51 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - R.P.
I used the clockwise M25 to come home from France last month - cracking idea - used the M6 version several times - seems to definitely help.
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New Wed 17 Oct 12 17:13 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - movilogo
>> What will happen if a vehicle needs to stop in an emergency where there is no longer a hard shoulder?

It does happen time to time (as I've observed in M1).

But it does cause chaos to some extent. Traffic suddenly tries to squeeze into other lanes with loads of cars trying to change lane at last moment.

Personally I think hard shoulder should should be used for emergency purpose only. I have not noticed any less congestion on that part of M1 during my daily commute.

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New Wed 17 Oct 12 18:24 
 Hard shoulder running for M25 - John H
>> But it does cause chaos to some extent. Traffic suddenly tries to squeeze into other
>> lanes with loads of cars trying to change lane at last moment.
>>

During hard shoulder running, speeds are controlled at 60mph or lower. When a vehicle blocks the hard shoulder, that section gets taken out with the red X and so there should not be sudden lane changes at those controlled speeds, and you are then back on to the standard lanes.

>> Personally I think hard shoulder should should be used for emergency purpose only. I have
>> not noticed any less congestion on that part of M1 during my daily commute.
>>

Hard shoulders are a luxury that we cannot afford any more due to the expense of adding new lanes when the cheaper alternative of hard-shoulder running is possible.
In practice, on the M42 which has had the longest experience of this system, accidents have reduced and traffic flows improved.

Last edited by: John H on Wed 17 Oct 12 at 18:25
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