Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Related pages

• Key Features
• Better Driver Information
• Congestion and Incident Management
• What Happens if I Break Down?
• Why the M1 Junctions 10 to 13?
• Hard Shoulder Running Route

Better Driver Information

Signs and signals on gantries will inform drivers of traffic conditions ahead, speed limits and the availability of lanes.

The position and sequence of the signals will ensure that drivers have time to see and understand the signals and to make a manoeuvre, if necessary.

During high volumes of traffic, speed limit signals show a mandatory speed limit across the carriageway.

The speed and availability of lanes is controlled so that the traffic is able to flow more smoothly, reducing congestion. In the event of an incident, the signals can also be used to control traffic around the incident.

To help protect incident scenes and queuing traffic all signals are mandatory and will be enforced.

The following signals and meanings apply;

Blank Signal

Applicable to all lanes
(including hard shoulder).
Normal motorway rules apply.

Mandatory Speed Limit

Applicable to all lanes
(including hard shoulder).
This is the maximum permitted speed.

White Arrow with flashing beacons

Applicable all lanes
(including hard shoulder).
Move into lane directed.

Red Cross with flashing beacons

Applicable to all lanes
(including hard shoulder).
Do not proceed further in this lane.

Red Cross without flashing beacons

Applicable to hard shoulder only.
Do not use this lane,
except in emergency or breakdown.

National Speed Limit

Applicable to all lanes
except hard shoulder.
National speed limits apply

Smarter roads

When this stretch of the M1 is not congested and there are no incidents, all normal motorway rules apply.

Normal motorway conditions:

• No congestion or incident
• No speed limits shown on signals
• National speed limits apply
• Hard shoulder only for emergency and breakdown
• Use emergency refuge areas in an emergency or breakdown for added safety

If there is congestion or an incident the Regional Control Centre will manage the traffic to ease congestion:

Variable speed limits without hard shoulder running:

• Incident or congestion ahead
• Speed limit signals are set and must be obeyed
• Driver information signs provide necessary information for road users
• Red cross over hard shoulder means do not use this lane, except in an emergency or breakdown
• Use emergency refuge areas in an emergency or breakdown for added safety

In the case of severe congestion or incident the hard shoulder may be opened to traffic under controlled conditions:

Hard shoulder running in operation:

• Incident or severe congestion ahead
• Speed limit signals are set and must be obeyed, limits up to 60mph will be used
• Driver information signs provide necessary information for road users
• Hard shoulder used as a running lane for all vehicles
• Use emergency refuge areas in an emergency or breakdown for added safety
• Do not stop on the hard shoulder