Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

The Project

The M1 is a heavily used route that connects London with the Midlands and the North. It was designed and built in the 1950's and currently operates well over capacity, resulting in queues and delays at peak times.

Improvements to the M1 between Junctions 10 and 13 are required to cope with then high volume of traffic. The improvements will relieve congestion and reduce delays leading to more reliable journeys.

Change to Hard Shoulder Running Scheme 15th January 2009

On 15th January 2009 the Secretary of State announced that the M1 Junctions 10-13 scheme would be taken forward as a Hard Shoulder Running Scheme. To find out more please visit the Hard Shoulder Running and Hard Shoulder Running Videos pages.

The Hard Shoulder Running (HSR) scheme will be implemented within the existing highway boundary eliminating the need to acquire additional land. To maximize the benefit of the HSR scheme the capacity of Junctions 11 and 12 also need to be improved. These proposed improvements require land take and are therefore subject to statutory procedures which have now been completed.

The HSR scheme was able to start construction in December 2009 before the proposed junction improvements. The construction of the junctions began in February 2011.

Public Information Exhibitions on the HSR scheme were held in March 2009.

The M1 Junctions 10 to 13 Response to Consultation Report October 2011 can be found on the Publications page.  

Construction Activity

Works commenced on the HSR element in December 2009 and are scheduled to be complete by Spring 2013.

Works commenced on Junctions 11 and 12 on 14th February 2011 and are scheduled to complete by Spring 2013.

A diagram of the layout of Junctions 11 and 12 can be found on the Publications page.

Details of road closures and restrictions in place during the works are available on the Traffic Management page.

Motorway Lighting

With effect from 17th August 2011, lighting will be permanently switched-off and removed. Junctions and their approaches, and a short section of the M1 either side of Junction 11, will remain lit. Removal will be carried out in phases until August 2012 at the same time as other works are carried out to reduce the impact on road users.

Lighting on this section is in a poor state of repair and has come to the end of its useful working life. The original safety case for operating managed motorways was not based on road lighting being in place, and an assessment of this section of the M1 to current standards no longer justifies the need for or replacement lighting.

Following careful assessment, the comprehensive safety study shows that the managed motorway can be operated safely without lighting. As part of any managed motorway system, CCTV cameras are installed for traffic monitoring: those on this section of the M1 will be 'low light' cameras to enhance the capability of staff in the Regional Control Centre to monitor the M1 24 hours a day.

Removal of the lighting supports the Government's wider agenda on reducing carbon emissions. This will also reduce the level of light pollution, save energy costs, reduce scheme costs and remove the need for lighting maintenance thereby minimising subsequent traffic disruption. Since 2009, the Highways Agency has switched off motorway lighting, between midnight and 5am, at a number of sites across England, and evidence so far suggests that this has not had adverse impact on safety.

Further Information

To contact the Project Team please see the Contact Information Page.