Highways Agency's carbon-saving scheme rolled out to M1

Date: 11/8/2011

Lighting on sections of the M1 is to be permanently switched off in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

The Highways Agency has announced that the route is the latest to be incorporated into its green scheme and that plans to remove illumination from parts of it follow careful assessment.

Indeed, the group noted it was confident that managed motorways can be successfully operated without lighting and that this would not negatively impact on such roads' safety benefits or congestion-reducing advantages.

Lights will be switched off at Junctions 10 at Luton to 13 at Milton Keynes, as well as on the approaches to these and on a stretch of motorway either side of Junction 11.

Work is still ongoing to upgrade this area into a managed motorway - which employs variable speed limits.

In addition, the hard shoulder is opened during peak times in order to reduce traffic jams.

Derek Turner, Director for the Highways Agency, says: "We anticipate achieving an annual reduction in carbon emissions on this M1 stretch of about 810 tonnes. Local communities will also benefit from reduced light pollution of the night sky."

He adds that the money saved can be put towards other measures on the road network to provide further safety benefits.

By 2015, the Highways Agency will also have begun work to upgrade the M1 stretch from Junction 32 to 35A in Yorkshire to a managed motorway.

Posted by Nick Anderson