Exhibitions show details of Highways Agency’s plans for improvements to M1 Junctions 11 and 12 in Bedfordshire
The Highways Agency has today published draft Orders and the Environmental Statement for its planned improvements to Junctions 11 and 12 of the M1 in Bedfordshire, and the details will go on show at public exhibitions later this month
Junctions 11 (Dunstable) and 12 (Toddington) are due to be upgraded to maximise the benefits of the successful managed motorways system – including hard shoulder running – to a 15 mile stretch of the motorway between Junction 10 (Luton) and 13 (Milton Keynes).
The planned improvements for Junction 12 would include new slip roads to the north of the existing junction and a new bridge over the M1, as well as new traffic signals and improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. Plans for Junction 11 would include increasing capacity on the exit slip roads and improving the entry slip roads onto the motorway.
The documents are now available to view at the Highways Agency’s offices and council offices [see Notes to Editors] and on the Highways Agency website, www.highways.gov.uk: http://www.highways.gov.uk//roads/projects. Three public exhibitions have been organised so members of the public can view the detailed plans for the junctions and ask the Highways Agency any questions they may have.
The public exhibitions will be held on the following dates:
· 10th December, 2pm – 8pm, Harlington Parish Hall, Church Road, Harlington LU5 6LE;
· Saturday 12th December, 10am – 4pm, Toddington Village Hall, Leighton Road, Toddington LU5 6AN;
· Wednesday 16th December, 2pm – 8pm, The Chiltern Hotel, Waller Avenue, Luton LU4 9RU.
Lynne Stinson, Project Manager for the Highways Agency, said:
“Today’s publication of the draft Orders for improvements to Junctions 11 and 12 are part of the next stage to tackle congestion and improve safety on this busy section of the M1. The improvements at these junctions will support the introduction of hard shoulder running by reducing queuing and smoothing the flow of traffic through the junctions. There will also be improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians using the junctions.
“Hard shoulder running on the M1 in Bedfordshire will deliver improvements more quickly than motorway widening. Advance work on the scheme began in August – six months earlier than planned – thanks to £16.6m of Government fiscal stimulus funding.”
On the M1 in Bedfordshire, hard shoulder running will deliver improvements more quickly than motorway widening. As well as providing more reliable journey times it will add a third more capacity – at a lower cost than a more conventional road widening scheme, and with fewer environmental impacts. The innovative use of the hard shoulder has seen journey times on the M42 around Birmingham reduce significantly, in some cases by as much as 22 per cent during weekday journeys, and there has been a reduction in personal injury accidents.
The draft Orders are open for objection and comment until Wednesday 27 January 2010. Comments should be sent to Lynne Stinson, Highways Agency project leader, 5 Broadway Street, Birmingham, B15 1BL or via email to M1J10-13improvements@highways.gsi.gov.uk: mailto:M1J10-13improvements@highways.gsi.gov.uk.
Depending on the nature and weight of objections to the proposals, a Public Inquiry may need to be held.
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