Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Public Information Leaflet - January 2004

Introduction

The M1 is one of the busiest motorways in Britain and is a strategic link between London, the Midlands and the North. The section between Junctions 6A and 10 is approximately 10 miles (17 km) long, stretching from the M25 through to Luton, and carries an average of 160,000 vehicles per day with long delays experienced at peak times. The widening scheme will reduce congestion and improve both safety and journey time reliability.

Bringing you up to date

The widening scheme was originally proposed in the early to mid 1990s and a Public Inquiry was held in 1995. Despite a positive recommendation by the Inspector, the scheme was subsequently put on hold. Following the completion of the London to South Midlands Multi-Modal Study the Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling, announced in July 2003 that the widening would proceed as part of the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI). The Statutory Orders will be made in January 2004.

This leaflet, together with a series of local exhibitions, is intended to bring you up to date with information about the project and explain why it is needed.

If you wish to learn more about the project, we hope that you will visit one of the exhibitions in January 2004. The exhibition dates and venues are listed on the back of this leaflet and the venue locations are also indicated on the map.

The Widening scheme

Work will be carried out on both carriageways of the M1 between J6A and J10 to bring it up to a full standard four lane motorway with continuous hard shoulders. This will be achieved by widening the following sections:

• Junctions 6A-7 southbound
• Junctions 8-9 northbound and southbound
• Junctions 9-10 southbound

Other works will include:

• Construction of new parallel roads between Junctions 7 and 8 to cater for local traffic travelling between Hemel Hempstead and St. Albans.
• Widening or replacement of 11 underbridges on one or both carriageways.
• Replacement of 7 overbridges.
• Extensive public utility diversions, notably the overhead power cables at Junction 10 and near Redbourn.

It will be necessary to acquire land for the scheme as identified at the Public Inquiry, however no properties will need to be demolished.

Protecting the environment

The Widening scheme will inevitably have an effect on the local environment but this will be carefully managed. We have recently carried out detailed surveys to make an up to date assessment of the local surroundings. We are developing measures to minimise the effect of the scheme and to enhance the environment. These measures will include the use of low noise surfacing, the construction of earth mounds and screen fences, extensive planting of native species and various ecological protection measures.

The environmental impacts and mitigation measures will be more fully explained in the details provided at the exhibitions.

What happens next?

Following the making of the Orders, we shall be looking in detail at the best way of delivering the widening.

How much will these improvements cost?

The overall scheme cost is estimated to be £241M.

Exhibition dates

You are invited to attend the following exhibitions (the locations of these venues are shown on the map on the previous page):

Hertfordshire Moathouse, Markyate:

• Friday 16th January 2004: 2:00pm - 8:00pm

Adeyfield Community Centre:

• Saturday 17th January 2004: 10:00am - 3:30pm

Redbourn Village Hall:

• Saturday 24th January 2004: 10:00am - 3:30pm

Slip End Village Hall:

• Saturday 31st January 2004: 10:00am - 3:30pm

Staff from the Highways Agency and their consultant, WSP, willbe on hand to explain the scheme and answer any questions

Keeping in touch

The highways website is updated regularly.

Post

M1 Widening Team
C8 Highways Agency
5 Broadway
Broad Street
Birmingham, B15 1BL

Telephone:

(HA Information Line) 0300 123 5000

Email:

m1J6a-10widening@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Who we are

The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT) responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the motorways and trunk roads in England on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport.

Safer driving through roadworks

Eleven roadworkers were killed in Highways Agency roadworks between October 2000 and February 2002 by moving traffic. This equates to a 1 in 1000 chance of being killed. The Highways Agency, with the support of the Driving Standards Agency and the Department for Transport, has created six messages to raise driver awareness to help prevent accidents:

• Keep to the speed limit - it is there for your safety
• Get into the correct lane in good time - don't keep switching
• Concentrate on the road ahead, not the roadworks
• Be alert for works traffic leaving or entering roadworks
• Keep a safe distance - there could be queues in front
• Observe all signs - they are there to help you