M1 upgrade fully open with more reliable journeys for motorists

National Highways has upgraded the 23-mile section of the M1 between junction 13, at Bedford and South Milton Keynes, and junction 16, for Daventry, creating an extra lane in each direction and adding technology to improve journeys and give drivers better information. Work started in August 2018 and the upgrade has been opening in sections since November 2021. 

Now, the final 11-mile section of the motorway upgrade is now fully open, with the 70mph national speed limit restored. 

Drivers will be able to use one of 46 new emergency areas if they need to stop in an emergency, with a place to stop or leave the motorway every 0.9 miles on average.  

National Highways is adding more emergency areas to motorways across the country. This section will be considered for additional emergency areas on this stretch at a later date. 

National Highways Regional  Sponsor Paul Unwin said:

“The completion of this upgrade means less congestion for drivers by alleviating stop-start traffic on a busy stretch of the M1. It also means that motorists will enjoy smoother and more reliable journeys thanks to increased capacity with four lanes open to traffic. We’d also like to thank motorists for their patience while we carried out this vital upgrade.” 

On motorways where the hard shoulder has been converted to a traffic lane, there is a whole system of inter-related features, working together to help keep traffic moving safely. They include:   

• Variable speed limits to help keep traffic moving, reducing frustrating stop-start traffic and making journeys quicker   
• Clearly signed and orange-coloured emergency areas set back from the road and with telephones linking directly to our control rooms   
• Detection systems to monitor traffic for changes in flows and speeds, including stopped vehicle detection to spot stopped vehicles and get help on the way more quickly   
• CCTV cameras that our operators are able to move and zoom to monitor and manage congestion and incidents, where notified. The system has the ability to see 100% of the carriageway  

• Signs and signals to provide better information and that can alert drivers to hazards ahead and display Red X signals to close lanes to other traffic when a stopped vehicle is identified  
• Enforcement cameras to deter the minority who break speed limits and ignore Red X signs   

All this is overseen and joined up by dedicated National Highways teams, both in control rooms and on the road, who are here to help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  

National Highways has launched a new ‘Driving on motorways’ hub https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/driving-on-motorways/  – it provides information about the main features of smart motorways, and advice and guidance on safer driving and what to do in an emergency:    

More details on the upgrade are available at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/east/m1-junction-13-to-junction-16-smart-motorway/   

Notes to Editors

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.

Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.

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