A leading car insurer has stated that the hard shoulder must not become a "default additional lane" on British motorways.
Direct Line noted that while the pilot scheme on M42 has proved successful, allowing motorists to use the hard shoulder as a regular lane could have major implications for road safety.
Head of
car insurance at the firm, Tony Chilcott, commented that poor weather conditions, combined with drivers being unsure of the new rules, could lead to "major" accidents and unnecessary
car insurance claims.
The Highways Agency opened the hard shoulder as a running lane on the M42 on September 12th as part of a scheme called Active Traffic Management.
Roads minister Stephen Ladyman stated that the scheme is an "important part" of measures to cut congestion in the West Midlands.
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