Motorway users warned over improper use of hard shoulder

Highways Agency Traffic Officers and the police are reminding drivers that it is illegal to use the motorway hard shoulder except in an emergency – following an incident on the M56 last week which led to four motorway users getting instant £60 fines as well as three driving licence penalty points each.

The warning follows the serious incident along the M56 near Runcorn on Sunday 25 March after a car and caravan collided with the central reservation.

The incident closed the westbound carriageway of the motorway for several hours and two lanes of the eastbound carriageway were also shut for some time.

After assessing the situation, Highways Agency Traffic Officers from their outstation at Knutsford decided it would be possible to get westbound traffic moving again by running traffic along the hard shoulder.

However, as they were setting out emergency traffic management around the scene of the incident, several vehicles were spotted trying to escape the queues by travelling along the hard shoulder for a considerable distance. They were stopped at the scene by the traffic officers and reported to Cheshire Police who issued fixed penalty notices to two drivers and two motorcycle riders.

John McTaggart, Head of On Road Operations (North) for the Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service, said: “It is an offence for drivers to use the hard shoulder for anything other than an emergency such as a break down. At serious incidents like this we expect the hard shoulder to be kept clear as it is needed for emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire engines as well as getting traffic officers or specialist equipment to the scene to help manage traffic and get the carriageway open again as soon as possible.

“Although no one was seriously injured this was a complicated incident involving barrier damage and a diesel spillage. Westbound traffic was stuck behind the incident for more than an hour but all the time our traffic officers were assessing what might be done to get them on the move again and away from the area.

“This is one of our key priorities and it is not helped by drivers or riders trying to use the hard shoulder as an escape route - potentially hampering our work and risking the safety of traffic officers and emergency workers at the front of the queue working to clear the incident and get traffic moving again.”

The Highway Code explicitly says drivers must not use the hard shoulder for overtaking and they should only stop in the hard shoulder in an emergency or when directed to do so by a police or traffic officer.

The Highways Agency advises drivers stuck behind incidents to stay in their vehicles and listen out for radio traffic alerts and bulletins for updated advice. Provided they can do safely they can ring the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 for advice or visit www.highways.gov.uk on a smartphone. Anyone with an emergency issue should dial 999 or use the emergency roadside telephone in the hard shoulder to call for advice or help.

Sergeant Neil Anson, from the North West Motorway Police Group, said: “These drivers and motorcycle riders have had an expensive reminder that they should only use the motorway hard shoulder in an emergency.

“Driving or riding up the hard shoulder is an offence but is also dangerous to people genuinely needing to use the hard shoulder. It can also delay emergency services needing use the hard shoulder to get to the scene of serious incidents.”