M1 Emergency Areas Nearing Completion

Construction work for six new emergency stopping points on a smart motorway stretch connecting two counties is expected to conclude by Christmas. The initial phase of this project on the M1, specifically between Leicester and Nottingham, commenced earlier this month, involving several overnight lane closures. National Highways initiated the construction at junction 23a and will extend it to junction 26, stating that this section is now in its “final stages of work along this stretch.” This undertaking is part of a broader national initiative aimed at establishing additional emergency stopping points on smart motorways, a response to safety concerns regarding these road types. These new bays, designed to offer drivers a safe location to stop in an emergency if they are unable to exit the smart motorway, are also being implemented on the M1 in Northamptonshire and Derbyshire, as well as on the M5 in Worcestershire. A National Highways spokesperson confirmed the expectation that the section between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire would be finished by Christmas. The spokesperson further stated: “Obviously any of our work can be affected by severe weather or other unforeseen circumstances, but we are certainly on track to remove the traffic management by Christmas.”