Plans To Charge Motorists For Using Motorway Hard Shoulders

Thursday, 6. November 2008

Plans have just been announced to use the hard shoulder on motorways to avoid congestion. The first of the plans was to charge £5 per car to those joining a traffic jam on the motorway by driving along the hard shoulder. Other plans involve the use of hard shoulders on the M3, M4, M5 and M27 as a type of toll lane with sensors mounted on gantries above the motorway to charge the driver’s credit card at up to 42 pence per mile. Ruth Kelly, Transport Secretary, will unveil the final plans and charges in due course. This type of scheme works in the US, known as Lexus Lanes as they only tend to be used by wealthy drivers driving big executive cars. The Lib Dems have opposed the plans pointing out that hard shoulders are for people to use in an emergency and could lead to unnecessary dangers if drivers are allowed to drive down them and be charged for the privilege. It should be pointed out that the hard shoulder may only be available during peak times. By Graham Hill