Managed motorways: the next generation

The Highways Agency last week invited journalists to a sneak preview of its new method to squeeze more capacity out of the motorway network – managed motorways-all lane running. As Andrew Forster reports, officials were keen to allay fears about the safety of the design.

Andrew Forster

28 June 2013

Variable message signs will communicate speed limit and lane information to drivers

Managed motorway coverage will increase significantly over the next few years. Of schemes under construction (green) the two on the M25 are MM-ALR. All future schemes (orange and magenta) will also be MM-ALR.

Managed motorways-all lane running (MM-ALR) is the DfT’s method for increasing capacity on the motorway network as quickly and cheaply as possible. The Highways Agency has already implemented managed motorway schemes on a number of the busiest sections of England’s motorways but these have been of the dynamic variety, in which the hard shoulder is generally only opened up as a running lane at times of heavy traffic. Under MM-ALR, however, the hard shoulder will become a permanent...