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

  • Allison is introducing new transmission technologies
    March 15, 2013
    Allison aims to retain its strong position in the transmission market with its latest array of products. Key machines featuring Allison transmissions will include equipment from Astra, Hino, Mercedes, Randon and Perlini. The Mercedes Zetros 1833 is a novel 4x4 underground mining tractor, while Bell is showing its new B25E and B30E articulated dump trucks, all of which are equipped with the latest Allison 3000 Series fully automatic transmissions. Rigid truck transmissions from Allison will be fitted to the
    Read More
  • Fan’s Ford Focus finds favour with Flavor Fav
    December 2, 2015
    Pop stars are noted for taking the most outrageous limousines to their gigs. But what should a singing group do if their transport doesn’t show up, leaving them stranded in a strange city? That was the question facing New York’s hip-hop legend Public Enemy when recently in the United Kingdom they found themselves in a record store and their taxi to their gig nowhere to be found. Public Enemy had booked a normal taxi amid their concern that their large tour bus could not navigate the narrow city street
    Read More
  • Galliford Try aims to downsize its construction business
    April 25, 2019
    UK construction and infrastructure business Galliford Try is reviewing its construction business with a view to downsizing. “The review will reduce the size of the construction business, focusing on its key strengths in markets and sectors with sustainable prospects for profitability and growth, where we have a track record of success,” the company said in a written statement. “The board anticipates that this review will result in reduced profitability in the current year reflecting a reassessment of
    Read More
  • K Series Deere loaders move to Tier 4 Final
    March 6, 2014
    John Deere’s K Series wheeled loaders have adopted Tier 4 Final emissions standards through the use of John Deere PowerTech engines. The company has also improved machine durability through the addition of standard axle cooling and filtration, the use of brake retractors and automatic adjusters to prevent wear and cut fuel consumption through brake drag. The K Series utility wheeled loaders also feature a standard five-speed lock-up torque converter transmission that is said to cut fuel use by 5-8%.
    Read More

Highlighted Content