M6 junction 2 to junction 4: smart motorway

Latest updates

• 22 April 2020

  Scheme open to traffic on 12 March 2020

  Over the last two years, we’ve been improving the busy 11.8 mile (19km) stretch of the M6 between junction 2 at Coventry and junction 4 near Coleshill by upgrading it to an all-lane running smart motorway. Our team began advance works on the project in December 2017 and the main construction works started in March 2018. The scheme was opened to traffic on time, on 12 March 2020.

  Work started in the verges on either side of the carriageway and involved the installation of our traffic management. We put in place three narrow lanes in both directions, with a temporary safety barrier to separate the works area and the live lanes of traffic.

  In April 2018, we continued our work by removing the existing technology and gantries from the M6 to make way for the new and improved systems. We then installed new and refurbished gantries to house the technology which monitors and manages traffic flow, upgraded the existing drainage, replaced the environmental barrier and resurfaced the carriageway. Once we’d completed the first phase of our programme, we moved our work into the central reserve.

  To establish a safe working area within the centre of the motorway, we carried out a number of traffic management switches. These switches involved pushing the three narrow lanes towards the verges of the motorway. All our traffic management switches were scheduled to take place between April and October 2019. We identified an opportunity to minimise disruption to the travelling public and keep our construction programme on track by decreasing the section of road each switch covered and increasing the total number of switches. All 11 switches were completed on time which allowed traffic to travel along the newly constructed lane one in both directions.

  In December 2019, we opened a section of the smart motorway, between junctions 4 and 3 on the southbound carriageway, early. By opening up this stretch of road ahead of time, we were able to minimise disruption to the travelling public and reduce our overall costs. This section of the carriageway was open to traffic with a 70mph speed limit and all technology fully operational.

  At the same time, we opened the northbound carriageway between junctions 3 and 4, with restrictions in place. So our workforce could continue to work safely throughout the remainder of our scheme, narrow lanes and a speed limit of 50mph remained in place. We also continued to provide a free recovery service for motorists who broke down within our roadworks.