Hard-shoulder plan to ease congestion

Hard shoulders on the country's motorways will be used to ease traffic congestion, under plans announced yesterday by transport secretary Ruth Kelly.

Ms Kelly also said that privacy and fairness worries meant that nationwide road-pricing schemes were "many years" away.

The plans could see the hard shoulder opened up on parts of the M1, M4, M5, M6, M27 and M62. An expansion of the pilot scheme on the M42 near Birmingham has already been announced.

Motoring organisations and business groups have welcomed the announcement. "Unlocking the hard shoulder at busy times is a relatively quick and cost-effective boost that could help businesses cut their journey times and increase reliability," said John Cridland, deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry.

"While this initiative is very welcome, it cannot be seen as the complete solution to the UK's seriously congested road infrastructure, which is crying out for longer term investment and extra capacity."

Environmentalists have reacted with dismay, however. Tony Bosworth, transport campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said that building extra lanes would "encourage more traffic, which may lead to more climate-changing pollution".

"Real choice and real solutions to congestion and transport's contribution to climate change can be achieved by improving alternatives to car use and reducing the need to travel," he said.

Meanwhile, the Road Haulage Association has reminded hauliers that London's low emission zone 'honeymoon period' is now over.