News: Work completed on M1

Work has been completed on the construction of 41 new emergency areas ahead of schedule between junctions 28 and 35A of the M1.

It means that speed limits, previously restricted to address air quality concerns, return to 70mph.

All-lane running became operational in the region and open to traffic in 2017 with the section in Rotherham and Sheffield designated as Britain's first ever Air Quality "Speed Limit" based motorway and a trial of 60mph speed limits came into force.

The trial completed last year but further work has been carried out after "smart motorways" came under scrutiny.

In 2023 the government confirmed that plans for new smart motorways would be cancelled in recognition of the "lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures." The government and National Highways also said that it would continue to invest £900m in further safety improvements on existing smart motorways.

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Costain, the infrastructure solutions company working as part of SMP Alliance, has completed the work on the National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme, a £390m investment plan which, along with technology like stopped vehicle detection, aims to improve safety on the road network.

The emergency areas are stationed at regular intervals along the motorway where there isn’t a permanent hard shoulder, offering a safe place for road users to stop in an emergency. Each area is approximately 100 metres long and is clearly marked in orange tarmac and blue signs with an orange SOS telephone symbol.

The 32-mile stretch of road, which carries more than 200,000 vehicles a day, is now fully open for traffic at the national speed limit.

Jacky Li, Project director at Costain, said: "Our work will improve the resilience of the local road network, and the additional emergency areas will increase safety, reduce disruption and improve mobility for road users for many years to come, helping to drive prosperity across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.”

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News: Restricted speed limits on M1 set to stay

Users of the M1 through Rotherham will be restricted to travelling at lower than 70mph during peak times in an effort to address air quality issues.

The M1 smart motorway is now operational and open to traffic and the section has been designated as Britain's first ever Air Quality "Speed Limit" based motorway.

Highways England has been working on the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham).

A 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston) is also benefiting from a smart motorway project costing £205m where four lane running began last year.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

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In 2014, the Transport Secretary put the brakes on the Highways Agency's (now Highways England) plans to implement a maximum mandatory 60mph speed limit. The speed limit would have been used between 7am and 7pm, seven days a week, to manage traffic speeds and help reduce congestion and air pollutants locally.

It was said at the time: "The Secretary of State has not accepted this approach as the Government's preferred option for managing local air quality on the M1 and tasked Highways England to identify other measures which achieved the necessary reduction. Speed restriction is to be used only to the extent that is absolutely necessary."

Now, the Highways Agency has said that this section of the M1 "is now Britain's first ever Air Quality "Speed Limit" based motorway" and that speeds are set daily between 7-9am and 3-6pm.

The section between junction 32 (M18) and junction 35 (A616) carries more than 110,000 vehicles each day and suffers from congestion and delay at peak times.

Environmental assessments carried out on the managed motorway schemes through the Sheffield city region showed there was likely to be an adverse impact on local air quality if the motorway continued to operate at the national speed limit (70mph).

There are nine Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in the stretch of motorway. These areas are declared where the EU limit and Government standards adopted for Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and dust particles are not being achieved.

Modelling in 2015 showed that the maximum increase in NO2 concentration as a result of the 70mph all lane running on the M1 would be Brinsworth, west of J33. The increase in NO2 is as a result of an increase in flow of approximately 4,800 vehicles per day on the motorway in the area.

Restricting speeds to 60mph at peak times was "considered as not resulting in significant adverse air quality effect" although NO2 levels will still increase at some areas, especially between junction 33 and 34.

A total of 85 sensitive receptors were predicted to be in exceedence of annual mean NO2 objectives with 70mph all lane running. 52 sensitive receptors are still predicted to be in exceedence with the mitigated operating regime of 60mph at peak times.

It is hoped that the mitigation will improve speeds, reduce congestion and therefore reduce emissions from vehicles travelling on the motorway.

The 2015 report said: "The mitigation will remain in place until the results of the air quality monitoring and further assessment indicate that air quality has improved sufficiently to allow a switch to a standard SM-ALR [70mph] operation. However, Highways England is continuing to see if other mitigation options can be developed that would allow the scheme to operate at the national speed limits at all times by the Opening Year of 2017. Imposing speed control will only be used as a last resort."

Some scheduled maintenance is planned on this stretch of the M1 over the coming months, which includes minor resurfacing works and installing further roadside technology.

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News: Smart Motorway work continues

A series of closures will take place this week as work continues as part of a major smart motorway project to tackle congestion and improve journey times through Rotherham.

Highways England has been working on the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham). A 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston) is also benefiting from a smart motorway project costing £205m where four lane running began in April.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

The hard shoulder between junction 32 and 34 is currently closed and there will be narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit in place until the project is completed in March 2017.

Drivers are being warned of a series of closures to allow resurfacing, gantry, barrier and other safety work to be carried out.

As contractors, Costain get to work this week, various parts of the carriageway and slip roads will be closed. Details can be found here.

The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

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Arun Sahni, project manager at Highways England, said: "This work will provide drivers with smoother and safer journeys between these two junctions.

"This work will be carried out overnight when traffic levels are at their lowest to keep disruption to a minimum. We are also utilising the closures to carry out other work at the same time to reduce the number of closures and impact on the public."

Environmental assessments carried out on the managed motorway schemes through the Sheffield city region showed there was likely to be an adverse impact on local air quality if the motorway continued to operate at the national speed limit (70mph).

A proposed maximum mandatory 60mph speed limit was discounted by the Government and the latest option could see 60mph speed limits at weekday peak times between junctions 28 and 35a - between 07:00-09:00 in the morning and 15:00-18:00 in the evening.

Highways England is expected to announce any measures to improve air quality when the scheme opens.

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News: Extra lane opens on smart motorway

The hard shoulder will be opened to traffic from today on part of the second stretch of "smart motorway" through Rotherham.

Highways England has been working on the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham). A 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston) is also benefiting from a project costing £205m where four lane running began in April.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

The hard shoulder will be opened between junction 34 for Meadowhall and Rotherham and junction 35a for the A616 Stocksbridge bypass. Variable speed limits will be used to keep motorists moving with the overhead electronic signs used to help to prevent queuing and keep drivers informed about the journey ahead, and emergency refuge areas provide a safe place in case vehicles break down.

Next week, speeds will be limited as the technology is calibrated.

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Andy Kirk senior project manager at Highways England, said: "We are investing a record £15 billion on improving our roads, making journeys easier, safer and quicker.

"Smart motorways are a safe way to increase capacity on our roads and proven to cut journey times and wasted hours stuck in traffic.

"This is a great milestone in the scheme, with more than 100,000 drivers a day benefitting from four lanes of road ahead of the smart motorway full opening next year."

Roadworks and a speed restriction of 50mph will remain between junction 32 (for the M18) and junction 34 (for the Meadowhall and Rotherham) while work continues. The scheme which is 10.5 miles is expected to be completed next year.

Environmental assessments carried out on the managed motorway schemes through the Sheffield city region showed there was likely to be an adverse impact on local air quality if the motorway continued to operate at the national speed limit (70mph).

A proposed maximum mandatory 60mph speed limit was discounted by the Government and the latest option could see 60mph speed limits at weekday peak times between junctions 28 and 35a - between 07:00-09:00 in the morning and 15:00-18:00 in the evening.

The Transport Committee of MPs has warned that the Government should not proceed with "all lane running" schemes while major safety concerns exist.

However, Highways England has set out proposals for a project for four lane running on a stretch of the motorway between Rotherham and Wakefield which would ultimately help create a smart motorway all the way to Leeds. In the last budget, the Government confirmed that funding would be made available to accelerate an M1 smart motorway scheme from junction J35a to 39 which would cost around £100m.

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News: Motorists not convinced by smart motorways

Eight out of ten drivers in a recent survey think that all lane running schemes have made motorways more dangerous than four years ago. Over £300m is currently being spent creating a so-called "smart motorway" on the M1 through Rotherham.

Highways England has been working on the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham). A 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston) is also benefiting from a "smart motorway" project costing £205m where four lane running began in April.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

Previous schemes have only used the hard shoulder at peak times or to deal with congestion. An AA-Populus poll of 20,845 drivers backed up concerns over the lack of lay-bys when the hard-shoulder is used as a running lane.

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It follows from a report by the Transport Committee, a group of MPs charged with scrutinising the Department for Transport, that concluded that "all lane running does not appear to us to be the safe, incremental change the Department wants us to think it is."

It added that the most recent incarnations of All Lane Running, such as the South Yorkshire projects, have less provision for safety measures than original pilot schemes. The Highways England guidance is for the Emergency Refuge Areas (ERA) to be no more than 2.6km apart (approx. 1.5 miles) whereas the AA would like to see at least twice as many lay-bys and they should be twice the length.

Edmund King OBE, president of the AA, said: "Four fifths of our members think that motorways without hard shoulders are more dangerous.

"Whilst we support measures to improve motorway capacity, we do not think that safety should be compromised. We do not accept that the current criteria of an Emergency Refuge Area or exit at least every 2.6km is safe.

"Breaking down in a live running lane with trucks thundering up behind you is every driver’s worst nightmare. The official advice is to dial 999 which just shows how dangerous the situation can be.

"If drivers can see the next lay-by, they are much more likely to make it to the relative safety of that area even if their car has a puncture or is overheating. If they can't see the lay-by, they often panic and stop in a live running lane. If more lay-bys are designed at the planning stage it will be less expensive and safer."

Highways England has set out proposals for a project for four lane running on a stretch of the motorway between Rotherham and Wakefield which would ultimately help create a smart motorway all the way to Leeds. In the last budget, the Government confirmed that funding would be made available to accelerate an M1 smart motorway scheme from junction J35a to 39.

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News: MPs' warning over smart motorways

The Transport Committee of MPs has warned that the Government should not proceed with "all lane running" schemes while major safety concerns exist. Over £300m is currently being spent introducing just that on the M1 through Rotherham.

Highways England has been working on the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham). A 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston) is also benefiting from a "smart motorway" project costing £205m where four lane running began in April.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

Previous schemes have only used the hard shoulder at peak times or to deal with congestion.

The Committee, a group of MPs charged with scrutinising the Department for Transport, did not agree with Government that this is an incremental change and a logical extension of previous schemes. It concluded that the permanent loss of the hard shoulder in all lane running schemes was a radical change and an unacceptable price to pay for such improvements.

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Louise Ellman MP, chair of the Transport Select Committee, said: "The permanent removal of the hard shoulder is a dramatic change. All kinds of drivers, including the emergency services, are genuinely concerned about the risk this presents.

"It is undeniable that we need to find ways of dealing with traffic growth on the strategic network. But All Lane Running does not appear to us to be the safe, incremental change the Department wants us to think it is. While "smart motorways" have existed for years, this is fundamentally different. Government needs to demonstrate that All Lane Running schemes do not make the road any less safe that the traditional motorway with a hard shoulder.

"The Government has a model which has worked. The scheme on the M42 has a track record of safety and performance but subsequent versions have gradually lowered the standard specification. The most recent incarnations of All Lane Running have less provision for safety measures than original pilot schemes.

"The Committee heard significant concerns about the scarcity, size and misuse of emergency refuge areas. We also heard about worryingly high levels of non-compliance with Red X signals. Levels of public awareness and confidence about using these motorway schemes are unacceptably low.

"Government needs to demonstrate considerable improvement in this area, including more emergency refuge areas, driver education and enforcement, before the Committee will endorse the extension of a scheme which risks putting motorists in harm's way."

Highways England has set out proposals for a project for four lane running on a stretch of the motorway between Rotherham and Wakefield which would ultimately help create a smart motorway all the way to Leeds. In the recent budget, the Government confirmed that funding would be made available to accelerate an M1 smart motorway scheme from junction J35a to 39.

During consultation for the M1 schemes, safety concerns were raised by South Yorkshire Police over the use of the hard shoulder.

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News: M1 closure for smart motorway upgrade

A "superspan" gantry crossing the M1 will be installed overnight tonight as part of a major smart motorway project to tackle congestion and improve journey times through Rotherham.

Highways England has been working on the £106m scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham). A 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston) is also benefiting from a "smart motorway" project costing £205m where four lane running began in April.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

Costain, contractors for Highways England will be installing the overhead gantry, which will carry message and variable speed limit signs, on Monday night when traffic levels are at their lowest.

The gantry – which will span both the northbound and southbound carriageways of the motorway – is approximately 47 metres wide, weighs up to 30 tonnes and will require a special 200 tonne crane to help install it as well as an overnight closure of the northbound carriageway. One lane will remain open on the southbound carriageway.

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The gantry will be erected between junction 35 at Rotherham and junction 36 at Barnsley overnight between 9pm and 6am. The closure could be postponed if strong winds are forecast.

Arun Sahni, project manager at Highways England, said: "The erection of a "superspan" is a big job that calls for a night closure on the northbound carriageway, but then they're very big structures. You really get a sense of their size when they are on the ground waiting to go up.

"This gantry is also close to an overhead electric cable which is why we need to close the carriageway, so it's important for people who use the motorway at night to plan their journeys."

Work on the 32 - 35 stretch is scheduled to complete "by the end of March 2017."

Environmental assessments carried out on these proposed managed motorway schemes showed there was likely to be an adverse impact on local air quality if the motorway continued to operate at the national speed limit (70mph).

A proposed maximum mandatory 60mph speed limit was discounted by the Government and the latest option could see 60mph speed limits at weekday peak times between junctions 28 and 35a - between 07:00-09:00 in the morning and 15:00-18:00 in the evening.

Highways England is looking at other mitigation options and conculded at the end of last year: "Imposing speed control will only be used as a last resort. A number of automatic air quality continuous monitors have been installed alongside the M1 and data from these continuous monitors will be used to evaluate the mitigation measures and the date when the measures can be lifted."

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News: First Rotherham smart motorway scheme completes

Four lane running has begun on a stretch of the M1 motorway through Rotherham as part of a £205m project to deliver better and smoother journeys, helping businesses and boosting the local economy.

Highways England has been working on the scheme on a 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston). A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is also set to benefit from a "smart motorway" project costing £106m.

The projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

Costain, the contractors for Highways England, have worked 1.75 million combined hours to complete the first scheme, which will improve journeys for more than 95,000 drivers a day using this stretch.

A similar scheme on the M25 which opened just over a year ago has seen the busiest journey times being halved and the number of collisions reduced by a fifth.

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Andy Kirk, senior programme manager at Highways England, said: "The new smart motorway will tackle congestion and improve journey times for the thousands of drivers who use it every day.

"The hard shoulder has been permanently converted to an extra lane to significantly increase capacity, and we'll keep vehicles moving using variable speed limits.

"We'd also like to thank drivers for their co-operation during the work and look forward to improving journey times for those travelling between the East Midlands and South Yorkshire."

Richard Stuart, project director at Costain, added: "It has involved high levels of collaboration between the project team, Highways England internal stakeholders and many external stakeholders. Despite numerous challenges along the way, the project has stood out for the one-team spirit which has underpinned the successful delivery through industry leading production rates, innovation and skills development. Of particular note is the holistic approach that the team has taken to the improvement works, with significant additional maintenance and asset renewals works delivered through the scheme to make most efficient use of the team’s presence on the network."

CCTV will be used 24 hours a day to enable staff in Highways England's regional control centres near Nottingham and Wakefield to respond quickly to incidents, closing lanes using red "X's" on overhead signs if necessary.

Drivers using the upgraded stretch of the M1 will also be able to use emergency refuge areas if they break down.

Work continues on the 32 - 35 stretch with construction scheduled to complete "by the end of March 2017."

Environmental assessments carried out on these proposed managed motorway schemes showed there was likely to be an adverse impact on local air quality if the motorway continued to operate at the national speed limit (70mph).

A proposed maximum mandatory 60mph speed limit was discounted by the Government and the latest option could see 60mph speed limits at peak times between junctions 28 and 35a. Highways England is looking at other mitigation options and imposing speed control will only be used as a last resort.

Highways England has set out proposals for a project for four lane running on a stretch of the motorway between Rotherham and Wakefield which would ultimately help create a smart motorway all the way to Leeds. In the recent budget, the Government confirmed that funding would be made available to accelerate an M1 smart motorway scheme from junction J35a to 39.

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News: Smart motorway moves on

The next stage in creating smart motorways through Rotherham gets underway this week.

A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is set to benefit from a project costing between £100.2m and £142.1m. A similar scheme costing between £168m and £225m is being carried out on the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The projects include plans for converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction. Signs and signals will still be used to inform drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place.

As part of the project, the latest technology is being installed to monitor traffic levels, provide traffic information to road users, and ease congestion by using variable speed limits on overhead message signs.

The hard shoulder is also being permanently converted into an extra lane between junction 32 at Rotherham and junction 35a at Stocksbridge to provide extra capacity.

Andy Kirk, senior project manager at Highways England, said:"Work on the scheme is progressing well and we are now in a position to start the work between junctions 32 and 34. Narrow lanes are being introduced along the route and a 50mph speed limit is in place for the safety of workers and drivers.

When complete, road users will benefit from reduced congestion and more reliable journey times as a result of the hard shoulder being converted to an extra lane and variable mandatory speed limits being used to keep traffic moving."

Roadworks have already been lifted between junctions 30 and 31 along the M1 as part of another smart motorway scheme. And roadworks are due to be removed between junctions 29a and 30 later this month.

Costain, the engineering solutions provider, recently moved from Markham Vale and took on the former Sterecycle site at Templeborough in Rotherham whilst it carries out work on the M1. It secured contracts worth around £125m to carry out work on the two schemes.

In its next "Road Period" which begins in 2019/20, Highways England detailed a further 15 planned investments. This includes a project for four lane running on a stretch of the motorway between Rotherham and Wakefield which would fill in the gap and ultimately create a smart motorway all the way to Leeds. With 41 lane miles set to be converted with schemes underway, the next project would provide an additional 27 lane miles of capacity.

The long term goal is a smart motorway spine linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

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News: M1 smart motorway scheme to open in December

Restrictions are set to be lifted next week as work continues to create smart motorways through Rotherham.

A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is set to benefit from a project costing between £100.2m and £142.1m. A similar scheme costing between £168m and £225m is being carried out on the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The projects include plans for converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction. Signs and signals will still be used to inform drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place.

Restrictions will be lifted on Monday September 28 from a section of the motorway just south of Sheffield and Worksop while work goes on behind the scenes to prepare for the opening of the whole junction 28 to 31 smart motorway scheme in December.

Andy Kirk, senior project manager at Highways England, said: "We understand that drivers get frustrated when they drive for miles and can't see a lot of obvious construction work going on, and we recognise that there are a lot of roadworks on the M1 at the moment.

"So rather than keep roadworks in place, we will work behind the scenes completing various technical tasks, until we're ready to implement the smart motorway on this section.

"This also means that we can start work on the next phase of the M1 smart motorway projects."

From Monday restrictions will be lifted between junction 30 and junction 31. In October a further set of roadworks between junction 29a (Duckmanton) and junction 30 are due to be removed. The hard shoulder will remain in place until the smart motorway goes live.

Work will continue on the smart motorway between junction 29a (Duckmanton) and 28 (Mansfield), with narrow lanes and a temporary 50mph speed limit in place, until the whole scheme is complete in December. The smart motorway will then operate between junctions 28 and 31.

Work continues on the 32 - 35 stretch with construction set to end "Winter 2016/17."

Costain, the engineering solutions provider, recently moved from Markham Vale and took on the former Sterecycle site at Templeborough in Rotherham whilst it carries out work on the M1. It secured contracts worth around £125m to carry out work on the two schemes.

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News: Further smart motorways ahead

Highways England has outlined its five year investment plan which includes plans for extending the smart motorway scheme that is already under construction through Rotherham.


The government-owned company, which replaces the Highways Agency from April 1, will invest £11 billion in delivering a raft of improvements on England's motorways and major A roads making roads even safer, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.

The five year plan includes infrastructure and improvement projects that have already been announced by the Government including the two smart motorway schemes on the M1 through Rotherham.

A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is set to benefit from a project costing between £124m and £174m. A similar scheme costing between £163m and £221m is planned for the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The projects include plans for converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening and with less impact on the environment during construction. Signs and signals will still be used to inform drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place.

The schemes are set to be completed by contractors, Costain and be open for traffic by the April 2016.

Highways England has today announced a further 15 planned investments for the next "Road Period" which begins in 2019/20. This includes a project for four lane running on a stretch of the motorway between Rotherham and Wakefield which would fill in the gap and ultimately create a smart motorway all the way to Leeds. With 41 lane miles set to be converted with schemes underway, the next project would provide an additional 27 lane miles of capacity.

The long term goal is a smart motorway spine linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

Graham Dalton, chief executive of Highways England, said: "The launch of Highways England is an incredibly significant moment for those who rely on England’s motorways and major A roads.

"As well as delivering the biggest investment in major roads since the 1970s, there will be fundamental changes to the way motorways and major A roads are maintained and operated. We will be focussing on customers, providing better travel information before and during journeys, improving safety and reducing the impact of roadworks.

"Highways England is the organisation that will meet this challenge. We are committed to a strategic road network in England that is far safer, more free-flowing and more integrated and supports economic growth across the country."

The plan also discusses the long awaited improvements to the trans-Pennine routes and improving journey times between Manchester and Sheffield. In December, the Government announced that it will be investing £170m on the A57, A628 and A628 trans-Pennine route, including a bypass for the village of Mottram. Design options and environmental surveys will need to be carried out before options are brought to the public through a consultation in 2017.

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News: Highways Agency set to park up at Sterecycle site

Costain, the engineering solutions provider, is planning to take on the former Sterecycle site at Templeborough in Rotherham whilst it carries out work on the multimillion pound Smart Motorway scheme on the M1.

Two Highways Agency schemes were given the go ahead to begin construction at the end of last year. A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is set to benefit from a project costing between £124m and £174m. A similar scheme costing between £163m and £221m is planned for the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

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The smart motorway projects include plans for converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits but the Transport Secretary has put the brakes on the agency's plans to reduce the speed limit to 60mph at peak times to manage traffic speeds and help reduce congestion and air pollutants locally.

Managed motorway schemes deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening and with less impact on the environment during construction. Signs and signals will still be used to inform drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place. Safety concerns have been raised by South Yorkshire Police over the use of the hard shoulder.

Costain, a long term partner with the Highways Agency through the Major Projects Framework, secured contracts worth around £125m to carry out work on the two schemes.

Plans are now being drawn up to use the land next to Magna to house approximately 170 staff in a double storey modular building and provide parking for around 300 vehicles. If approved, the former waste processing site will be used for storing of materials including drainage, steelwork, and aggregates, 24/7 access for deliveries including articulated wagons will be required and will have the use of 24/7 security facilities.

Sterecycle used a patented steam processing method called autoclaving to "pressure cook" household and commercial black-bag waste. The Templeborough site was operational since August 2008 and employed 70 local people. It was as a blueprint for a future roll out of waste processing sites around the country. The company, which called in administrators in 2012, was recently found guilty of corporate manslaughter following the fatality at its Rotherham waste treatment facility in 2011.

A fire at the premises in December forced Magna to cancel a number of Christmas events. About 2,000 tonnes of plastic was involved in the incident which saw six fire engines called.

Preparation for the M1 scheme is underway. Last month saw the installation of electronic loops (known as MIDAS loops) in the carriageway to detect traffic flows. The loops detect when traffic is slowing down, and automatically set warning messages to advise drivers of queues ahead, and is necessary in advance of the main construction phase of the smart motorway scheme.

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News: £125m M1 contracts for Costain

Costain, the engineering solutions provider, has secured contracts worth around £125m to carry out work on the Smart Motorway scheme on the M1 through Rotherham.


Two Highways Agency schemes have recently been given the go ahead to begin construction. A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is set to benefit from a project costing between £124m and £174m. A similar scheme costing between £163m and £221m is planned for the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The Highways Agency smart motorway projects include plans for converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits but the Transport Secretary has put the brakes on the agency's plans to reduce the speed limit to 60mph at peak times to manage traffic speeds and help reduce congestion and air pollutants locally.

Managed motorway schemes deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening and with less impact on the environment during construction. Signs and signals will still be used to inform drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place. Safety concerns have been raised by South Yorkshire Police over the use of the hard shoulder.

Costain is a long term partner with the Highways Agency through the Major Projects Framework, having also worked on large scale engineering projects such as airports, office blocks, the Channel Tunnel and nuclear decommissioning projects at Sellafield.

By undertaking both projects on the M1, Costain will be able to effectively manage road space between them and reduce disruption to road users. The work follows on from the central reserve barrier replacement work which is already underway.

Between J28 and J31, early works include site clearance, vegetation clearance and drainage and ducting works, with the completion of the concrete barrier, surfacing and structural bridge repairs to be completed.

Darren James, managing director of Costain Infrastructure, said: "Costain provides innovative, technology lead solutions to address major national infrastructure needs, and we are delighted to have been awarded these further significant contracts by the Highways Agency, reinforcing our position as a long-term partner of choice."

The Highways Agency is holding exhibitions later this month, providing the opportunity to find out more about the construction phase of the scheme and to ask any questions.

The stretch of motorway between J32 and 35a carries more than 110,000 vehicles each day and 95,000 vehicles per day travel between J28 and J31. Both stretches suffer from congestion and delay at peak times.

The work is due to complete in early 2017.

Costain website
Highways Agency website

Images: Highways Agency

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