£6bn road jambuster package announced

Plans to expand hard-shoulder running have been announced by the government in a six-year, £6bn jambuster package.

Transport secretary Ruth Kelly confirmed hard-shoulder driving was being considered for locations including the M3 and M4 approach to London, the M4 and M5 around Bristol and the M3 and M27 around Southampton.

The Command Paper also includes funding to widen the A14 between Ellington and Fen Ditton, upgrade of the A1 between Dishforth and Barton and widening of the M25 between junctions 16 and 23, and 27 and 30.

The money will allow many of the schemes to begin construction before 2014.

Ms Kelly said: “The £6bn I am announcing today will allow us to develop and implement more innovative approaches to the way we use our major roads.

“This includes measures like opening the hard-shoulder when traffic is at its heaviest, alongside some conventional widening where that makes best sense.”