UK’s M3 motorway gets first orange emergency area

The first of a new-style smart motorway emergency stop area is being trialled on the M3 in England. The redesigned emergency area has a highly visible orange road surface and better signs to improve its visibility, according to Highways England, the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.
August 1, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Safer with an orange: Emergency Refuge Areas using QMS Type 1 HyperGrip system

The first of a new-style smart motorway emergency stop area is being trialled on the M3 in England.

The redesigned emergency area has a highly visible orange road surface and better signs to improve its visibility, according to 8100 Highways England, the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.

Work on the officially-called Emergency Refuge Areas is being done by 8037 WJ in collaboration with maintenance contractors 1146 Balfour Beatty and 184 Colas.

Smart motorways relieve congestion and improve journey times by making the hard shoulder available for use at busy periods. On some schemes, it is permanently converted into a traffic lane, known as All Lane Running.

Spaced emergency refuge areas - ERA - are provided roughly every 2.5km and are clearly marked with blue signs featuring an orange SOS telephone symbol.

This safety upgrade, using QMS Type 1 HyperGrip system, has been delivered on the 21.5km smart motorway scheme, which covers the M3 from junctions 2-4a in Hampshire and Surrey counties. Two emergency refuge areas were completed as z trial and now all ERA’s on the scheme will be afforded the same enhancement.

It is planned now to apply this coloured system on all ERA’s throughout the scheme with other smart motorway contracts expressing interest.

The change is part of an ongoing review into the design and spacing of emergency areas on smart motorways, said Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England chief executive.

Quality Marking Services
%$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal www.qmarkings.co.uk Quality Marking Services Website Link false http://www.qmarkings.co.uk/ false false%>

Road Markings, Barriers & Workzone Protection

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Case M Series dozers offer increased productivity
    January 6, 2017
    Case is increasing its presence in the earthmoving sector with the launch of a three-model range of upgraded M Series dozers, up from two models in the previous generation. The 1150M, 1650M and 2050M weigh in at 13-20tonnes and all feature Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB-compliant FPT diesel engines with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. Case claims that the use of SCR results in lower fuel consumption, up to 10.5% less in the case of these dozers, while the 1150M and 2050M benefit from a 9% power i
    Read More
  • Case M Series dozers offer increased productivity
    April 16, 2013
    Case is increasing its presence in the earthmoving sector with the launch of a three-model range of upgraded M Series dozers, up from two models in the previous generation. The 1150M, 1650M and 2050M weigh in at 13-20tonnes and all feature Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB-compliant FPT diesel engines with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. Case claims that the use of SCR results in lower fuel consumption, up to 10.5% less in the case of these dozers, while the 1150M and 2050M benefit from a 9% power i
    Read More
  • Value of UK construction projects up 67.1% in past year
    January 24, 2014
    The value of construction projects in the UK has shot up by 67.1% in the last year, according to a new report. New project contracts awarded in December 2013 totalled €7.31 billion (£6 billion), compared to €4.38 billion (£3.6 billion) in the same month in 2012. The infrastructure sector proved to be an area of significant growth last month, with the total value of projects awarded reaching €2.68 billion (£2.2 billion), a 10.6% increase from November 2013 and a huge 101.6% year-on-year growth.
    Read More
  • Bell launches high-manoeuvrability 4x4 ADT for narrow bench work
    April 15, 2013
    Bell has introduced a 4x4 version of its B30D articulated dump truck (ADT). The machine has the front chassis, cab and engine of the standard 6x6 but comes with a shortened rear chassis and a single axle. According to Neville Paynter, managing director of Bell UK, the machine’s short wheelbase reduces the turning circle by around 25%, making it ideal for use in underground mining and on narrow benches.
    Read More

Highlighted Content