Roadworks Removed On M1 In Yorkshire And East Midlands Sheffield Transport Forum reaction

1st October 2015

Peter Kennan, Chair of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Transport Forum, and Partner at Hawsons Chartered Accountants, said: -We are very pleased indeed by Highways England's announcement that, following an instruction from the Secretary of State for Transport, the agency is to stop roadworks that extend beyond five miles and is lifting those between M1 junctions 31 and 30.

-We welcome this intervention by the Secretary of State which follows a deluge of complaints and comments about the roadworks on the M1 and other motorways. -The situation was getting out of hand, with long stretches of our major north/south road reduced to narrow lanes with a 50mph speed restriction. At one point there were roadworks on the M1 covering junctions 15 to 19, 21, 28 to 31 and 39 to 42 - all with 50mph speed restrictions. -Quite apart from the sheer frustration of longer journeys, there is the huge loss of productivity of not being able to undertake work while being sat in a motor vehicle. -We understand that improvement works will cause disruption, but do not believe there can be justification for roadworks stretching 20 miles. -The good news is tempered somewhat by the new roadworks on the M1 from junctions 36 to 34, and, soon, to 32. -Following the most recent Transport Forum meeting, I was also asked to write to Highways England about their signs and motorway messages, which some consider to be patronising such as those featuring small children saying their parents are working on the site. -We would suggest a more useful and appropriate network of roadworks signs would feature a web address to get full details of the work, timescale and reasons for delays, narrow lanes, and other works. -We really hope Highways England changes its approach to better inform motorists about works on the main trunk routes and I am sure that business representatives would be willing to help them with that.