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Cheshire is home to some of the UK’s busiest stretches of motorway with high volumes of traffic at peak times. To manage traffic flow and reduce delays, the most congested sections of the M6 and M62 in Cheshire have seen the introduction of All Lanes Running (ALR), and work is now underway on a section of the M56.
The Channel Five TV series “Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders” follows the activities of Cheshire’s Roads and Crime Unit. The officers spend lots of time on the motorway network and they recognise that drivers want to know more about what driving on ALR motorways means for their safety.
It’s every motorist’s responsibility to drive safely; so, with the help of our Roads and Crime Unit, we’ve compiled a handy guide to using ALR.
Why ALR?
Highways England uses technology on ALR motorways to smooth the flow of traffic, help to reduce delays and improve safety.
This includes:
If there's no hard shoulder, use an emergency area where possible
There is no hard shoulder with ALR motorways. It works by replacing the traditional hard shoulder with a live lane and Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs).
These are placed at regular intervals and painted orange, with orange SOS signs to show where they are.
Emergency areas are wider than a hard shoulder and set back from live traffic lanes.
Each of these areas has an emergency phone where you must contact National Highways for help. They'll make sure that lane one is clear for you to rejoin the motorway safely.
If you’re in distress, Highways England can contact the police on your behalf.
ERAs are not for having a rest or taking a break, they are for genuine emergencies.
Stay vigilant and pay attention to the electronic message boards
These are above or next to the carriageway and sometimes there is a sign above each lane. They are controlled by Highways England regional control centres and are enforceable by law.
The signs and signals are used to warn you of hazards ahead. For example, there may be an incident, fog, a spillage, emergency services or road workers on the carriageway, which you may not immediately be able to see.
A single sign or signal can display advice, restrictions and warnings for all lanes.
Lane specific signs and signals can display advice, restrictions and warnings that apply to individual lanes.
Cameras monitor traffic flow and speed limits can be changed depending on the road conditions.
Amber flashing lights
These signals warn of a hazard ahead. You should:
Red flashing lights
A lane is closed if there is a red X above it and it's against the law to drive under one.
Lanes are closed when there's a broken-down vehicle, an accident or obstruction and, most importantly, when people are on the road. These could be stranded road users, emergency services, people working to repair the network, or breakdown crews.
You:
Be aware that:
Staying safe
England’s motorways are some of the safest in the world but there is more that we can do to ensure that they are as safe as they can be.
Trust the signs. Remember, the signs are there for a good reason and must never be ignored.
The emergency services need to use closed lanes to get to incidents, if you’re tempted to ignore the signs think of the consequences. Imagine being stranded on the motorway, wouldn’t you want your fellow motorists to keep out of your closed lane?
Be aware of others’ blind spots, especially HGVs. Collisions occur when motorists swerve into the path of another vehicle.
Keep left, hogging the second and third lanes will affect traffic flow and annoy other motorists.
Maintain a safe distance, tailgating is dangerous and won’t get you to your destination any faster.
Don’t misuse your mobile phone. Photographing or filming crash sites is illegal and unacceptable. If your loved one was involved in an incident, would you want to find out about it on social media?
Don’t drive aggressively. Be considerate of other road users and reduce road rage.
Highway Code updates
On 14 September 2021, new rules to make England’s motorways and high-speed roads even safer came into effect in a major update to The Highway Code.
You can read the changes online as updates to the Highway Code.
Sources: National Highways, the Highway Code