Managed Motorway M42 - Stupid Q

[Dan_1981]

On the managed motorways that allow hard shoulder running when can you use the hard shoulder?

Does the overhead gantry show when you can or can't use it?

For example - M42 Junction 4 - 5

Some mornings the gantry shows a speedlimit for the hard shoulder, other times it is blank and then other times it has a large red cross.

So is it only open when a speedlimit is displayed, or only closed when the red cross shows?

[mnkiboy]

Whilst I don't use the M42, you would have to presume that if nothing is displayed then you treat it as a normal hard shoulder.

Rather a dangerous game for them to play though. You'd think either a speed limit or a red X should be shown at all times.

[surveyor]

Noticed this on the M6 yesterday. I was a little confused as to whether the Hard Shoulder running lane was open or not. I'm still not sure, but obviously did not risk it.

[Dog Star]

mnkiboy said:

Whilst I don't use the M42, you would have to presume that if nothing is displayed then you treat it as a normal hard shoulder.

Rather a dangerous game for them to play though. You'd think either a speed limit or a red X should be shown at all times.

I agree; all too often I see people obliviously using the hard shoulder on the M62 when it's not 'live', pretty dangerous if someone has broken down. If it's not in use it really ought to have a red X showing.

[panholio]

Also lots of people don't use it when it is in use.

[Dan_1981]

This is the issue I have, no-one seems to know if you should or shouldn't use it.

To make matters even more complicated, once you go past the exit for junction 5 the next gantry often has a red cross displayed.

This morning jct 4 to 5 nothing was displayed, but then when you got past 5 the next gantry showed a red cross.

Very confusing and possibly dangerous.

[t400ble]

I don't think it's complex.
No sign? Not in use.

Easy as that.

On the M6 section the matrix signs state congestion use hard shoulder

[Riley Blue]

From the Highways Agency:

Hard shoul­der run­ning — The hard shoul­der will be opened at busy times and the speed limit will be reduced. Do NOT use the hard shoul­der unless over­head signs show that you can do so.

http://www.highways.gov.uk/our-road-network/managi...

From which the rules appear to be:

When hard shoulder speed limit shown, OK to use hard shoulder.

When nothing shown, do not use hard shoulder.

When red X, closed due to incident ahead.

Seems straight forward enough to me.

[Dan_1981]

In which case, there is an incident between jct 5 & 6 on the M42 almost every morning.

[Riley Blue]

It's possible, there are frequent incidents on the M1 near me: breakdowns, accidents, road works, debris in road, any one of which could justify a lane closure. It sometimes seems that they occur on a daily basis.