Highways England – Creative GFD18 0106 Smart Motorway M20 Junctions 3 to 5
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Welcome Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 public information exhibition Highways England – Creative GFD18_0106 Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Smart motorways Smart motorways are a technology driven It is also used to support the response to approach to the use of our motorways, incidents, using the signs and signals to close increasing capacity and relieving congestion any lane in advance of the incident scene. while maintaining safety. Smart motorways help make journey times more reliable. Drivers are enjoying the benefits of smart motorways across the country without safety Technology is installed to monitor and manage being adversely affected – our motorways traffic flow and the hard shoulder is used for continue to be some of the safest in the world. traffic, either permanently or at peak times. As well as the additional capacity from the extra lane, the technology manages traffic using variable speed limits to smooth traffic, reducing frustrating stop-start flow and improving journey reliability. Tranche Est. start Est. to be Tranche 0 of works open for Newcastle traffic Upon Tyne Tranche 0 Tranche 1 M1 J32-35a Live Scheme - A1M M1 J28-31 Live Scheme - M6 Tranche 2 M1 J39-42 Live Scheme - M3 J2-4a Live Scheme - M6 J10a-13 Live Scheme - M25 J5-7 Live Scheme - A1M M25 J23-27 Live Scheme - York M1 J39-42 Tranche 1 Leeds M1 J19-16 Commenced Q1-17/18 M5 J4a-6 Live Scheme - M1 J32-35a M6 J16-19 Commenced Q3-18/19 Liverpool Manchester Tranche 2 M1 J28-31 M1 J24-25 Commenced Q4-17/18 M6 J16-19 M1 M4 J3-12 Q4-16/17 Q3-21/22 M6 M6 J2-4 Q4-16/17 Q3-18/19 Nottingham M6 J13-15 Q3-17/18 Q4-19/20 M6 J13-15 M1 J24-25 M6 J10a-13 Norwich Schemes open Q = Quarter within year to traffic M6 J2-4 M1 J19-16 Birmingham M1 © Crown copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100030649 M5 Bedford M5 J4a-6 M11 A1M M25 J23-27 London Bristol M4 M25 M4 J3-12 M3 Southampton Brighton Exeter M25 J5-7 M3 J2-4a Highways England – Creative BHM17_0210_PJW Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 M20 junctions 3 to 5 smart motorway We are improving the busy 10.5 km (6.5 mile) The hardening of the central reserve and stretch of the M20 between junction 3 near installation of a reinforced concrete barrier to West Malling and junction 5 near Aylesford by improve safety. upgrading it to an ‘All-Lane Running’ (ALR) smart motorway. Replacement of the Teapot Lane Footbridge deck at Aylesford. Construction started in March 2018 and the smart motorway is expected to be completed in Replacement and installation of new noise March 2020. barriers in built-up areas, where required. The project involves: If you would like to know more about the M20 junctions 3 to 5 smart motorway scheme you Converting the hard shoulder to create a can contact us at: permanent fourth lane between junctions 3 and 5. [email protected] New electronic information signs and You can also find further information on our signals, and CCTV cameras on gantries. project web page: These will show variable mandatory speed limits and manage traffic flow and incidents. http://roads.highways.gov.uk/projects/m20- junctions-3-to-5-smart-motorway/ 5 emergency areas (EAs). Emergency areas All lane running Where will this There will be 5 emergency areas (EAs) This scheme will have no hard shoulder within the M20 junction 3 to 5 smart between junctions 3 and 5. There will be motorway scheme. Motorway service four lanes permanently open for use by areas and hard shoulders on slip roads road users. The EAs will be available. section of smart can also be used. EAs are positioned approximately where shown with this motorway be? symbol SOS . N A228 4 SOS New Hythe SOS M20 3 SOS Addington SOS A20 2a Aylesford M26 A228 M20 A20 A20 SOS A20 5 6 A25 A20 West Malling Offham A20 A228 © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 OS 100030649 The map shows where the new section of smart motorway will be. Highways England – Creative GFD18_0106 Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Smart technology A smart motorway has technology installed to CCTV and sensors detect and monitor monitor and manage traffic flow. It is important congestion and incidents, so we can set that you understand the signs and comply. appropriate speed limits and manage incidents effectively. When lanes are closed, signs display a red X showing which lanes cannot be used. Speed limits vary and are applied at times of congestion, to prevent stop - start conditions. Signs in the verge or above the carriageway If no speed limit is shown the national speed advise you of the speed limit, any lane limit applies. closures and provide information on road conditions such as severe weather. new gantries new signals new CCTV cameras traffic monitoring emergency areas radar detector message signs lower noise surfacing signs concrete barriers under carriageway ducts technology ducting Highways England – Creative GFD18_0106 Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Better journeys Smart motorways are an effective way We already have evidence of the benefits that to provide more capacity on our busiest smart motorway schemes can bring. The first motorways while maintaining safety and at a smart motorway opened to traffic in 2006 along third of the cost of widening schemes, meaning the M42. Data gathered since has found that: better value for the tax payer. Journey reliability improved by 22 per cent All lane running, which involves permanent conversion of the hard shoulder as a live lane Personal injury accidents reduced by more for traffic to use, provides an opportunity than half. to modernise and improve far more of our motorways than under previous approaches. Where accidents did occur, severity was much lower overall, with zero fatalities and fewer seriously injured. The approach also supports economic growth, with junction 3 to 5 of the M20 providing major connections to the south east of England. A representation of what smart motorways look like Highways England – Creative GFD18_0106 Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Emergency areas Emergency areas provide an area of relative If you are driving at 60mph you will reach a safety following a breakdown. place you can stop in an emergency every 75 seconds on average. There will be 5 highly visible emergency areas within the M20 junctions 3 to 5 smart There is an emergency telephone in each motorway scheme. Motorway service areas emergency area. This connects you to and hard shoulders where available can Highways England’s Regional Control also be used. Centres and pinpoints your location. The use of an emergency telephone helps us to pinpoint a driver’s location Highways England – Creative GFD18_0106 Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Incident management Incidents such as accidents and They then continue to monitor traffic breakdowns are managed by our control conditions throughout each incident and centre staff. reopen lanes as soon as it is safe to do so. If the accident or breakdown means vehicles We are working closely with the emergency are unable to get off the carriageway or reach services to develop best practice as an emergency area, we can use technology these major improvements are rolled out to close any lane on the motorway. on our motorways. Control centre staff set signs to inform other road users about what is happening and manage traffic so that the people involved in the incidents are protected and an access route is cleared for emergency vehicles. 1 Incident detection 2 Emergency service on scene 3 Incident protection and clearing 4 Incident cleared and smart motorway re-opened Highways England – Creative BHM17_0210_PJW Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Red signs Red signs are used for safety reasons to close lanes: to protect road users who may have broken down or been involved in an incident. to provide access and protection for the emergency services, our traffic officers and our road workers. If you see a Red symbol on a gantry sign over or at the side of the motorway it means that the lane is closed for one or more of these reasons. Driving in a lane with a Red symbol is A representation of a Red X illegal and dangerous and drivers must not message sign on the verge use it. A representation of a Red X message sign on a full gantry Highways England – Creative BHM17_0210_PJW Smart motorway M20 junctions 3 to 5 Environment Highways England is committed to delivering The key issues considered include: better environmental outcomes. In remaining within current motorway boundaries, smart Air quality, noise and visual impacts in motorways have the built-in advantage of relation to nearby housing. minimising scheme environmental footprints. In addition, we carry out thorough environmental Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) assessments to identify and assess potential at Trottiscliffe Meadows, Allington Quarry, environmental impacts and recommend Aylesford Pit, Holborough to Burham mitigation that can be included in the scheme to Marshes, Halling to Trottiscliffe Escarpment minimise them. and Allington Quarry. The scheme has undertaken an Protected species and habitats including environmental assessment that covers topics bats, dormice and great crested newts. including noise and vibration, air quality, ecology and visual impacts. The setting of conservation areas and heritage assets such as the Kent Downs The results will be presented in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Environmental Study Report. This will also describe the measures to mitigate adverse Public Rights of Way. effects and enhance the environment.