MORE than 50 new emergency areas are set to be installed on the M25 and surrounding motorways in the South East as part of a nationwide safety programme.
Twenty-four new emergency areas are planned for two sections of the M25 – between junctions 23 and 27 in Hertfordshire and Essex and between junctions 5 and 7 in Surry and Kent – with construction due to begin in Hertfordshire and Essex from Thursday 25 April 2024.
The M20 in Kent, M3 in Surrey and Hampshire and M4 in Berkshire will also see upgrades to install more emergency areas from late April and early May, with the M27 in Hampshire following later in the summer.
Fifty-two emergency areas are to be built in this phase of the programme on the M25 and neighbouring motorways. These are as follows:
The upgrades are part of work to add more emergency areas to all lane running motorways across the country. National Highways is committed to building more than 150 new emergency areas to give drivers more places to stop in an emergency.
It committed to building more than 150 emergency areas in January 2022 and progress has been made in both designing and delivering the programme.
Thirteen have already been installed and opened for traffic – eight on the M1 in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire and five on the M6 in Staffordshire. Construction is already under way on 12 more emergency areas on the M1 in South Yorkshire, 10 between junctions 30 and 31 on the M1 in Derbyshire, and 12 on the M6 between junctions 21A and 26 in Cheshire. Last month, start of work on a further 54 emergency areas on the M1 and M5 motorways in the midlands was announced.
Emergency areas provide a place to stop for drivers in an emergency if they are unable to leave the motorway or stop at a service area. They are clearly signed at regular intervals and have bright orange road surfaces to help identify them.
Each area is 100 metres long meaning there is ample space for all types of vehicle. They are also equipped with emergency telephones linking directly to our control rooms to get help on the way quickly.
National Highways Project Sponsor Felicity Clayton said:
“Safety is our highest priority and we have listened to drivers’ concerns about having more places to stop in an emergency on motorways which don’t have a permanent hard shoulder.
“This is part of the Government’s £900 million investment in further safety improvements on existing smart motorways, which includes adding an additional 150 emergency areas across the network and giving motorists clear advice when using smart motorways to boost public confidence”.
For the upgrade to be carried out safely, the left-hand lane will be closed throughout construction. Lanes two, three and four will remain open with a 50mph speed limit in place.
All existing emergency areas on the M25, M20, M3, M27 and M4 will remain open wherever possible throughout construction wherever possible and a free recovery service will be available through the roadworks.
The work is being carefully coordinated with other major improvements already underway on the M25, including junction 28, where the motorway meets the A12 at the Brook Street roundabout in Essex, at junction 10 near Wisley in Surrey, which involves a series of weekend closures on the M25 and the A3 around the junction. National Highways teams are working tirelessly to coordinate all this work closely and keep disruption to an absolute minimum.
Drivers are advised to plan ahead and allow more time for their journeys. Drivers can use real-time traffic information for England’s motorways at trafficengland.com as well as X (Twitter) updates by following @NationalHways.
Further information
Where can I find advice on how to drive on motorways?
There is extensive advice available on National Highways’ website: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/driving-on-motorways
What should I do if my vehicle breaks down?
We always advise that if you need to stop in an emergency you should try and exit the motorway at the next exit. There is detailed advice at: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/breakdowns
If you cannot exit the motorway or go left and you need to stop in a live lane:
Stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt(s) and hazard lights on
Call National Highways on 0300 123 5000 (or 999 if it is an emergency)
Tell the operator if you are disabled and/or a vulnerable motorist such as an older person or travelling alone
Keep details of your breakdown provider with you. Your breakdown provider may give you additional instructions in the event of a breakdown.
The emergency services will alert the control room and they will close motorway lanes with Red X(s) and send other help if required, such as a Traffic Officer.
Always carry any medication you need with you and prepare for your journey in advance. People who are unable to use the emergency roadside phones due to a hearing, speech or physical impairment can contact us via text on 0738 028 3600 for roadside assistance.
We also offer British Sign Language users the SignLive service for getting in touch with our customer contact centre.
Both of these services are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
