National Highways is starting work on a series of enhancements on more than 60 miles of dynamic hard shoulder motorway by upgrading the central reservation safety barriers.

The steel central reservation is being replaced with a more modern, concrete barrier, which is even stronger than the metal ones. The work is taking place on seven sections of dynamic hard shoulder motorway - where the hard shoulder is used by traffic in busy periods - and begins in the Midlands this month.

Work will start on the M6 between junctions 4 (Coleshill) and 5 (Castle Bromwich) on 14 March and is set to be completed by autumn.

The other stretches of DHS motorway to be upgraded are:

• M62 junctions 25-30 (Brighouse to Rothwell)
• M42 junctions 4 to 7 (Dorridge to the M6 Coleshill Interchange)
• M1 junctions 10 to 13 (Luton Airport to Bedford)
• M4 junctions 19 to 20 and M5 junctions 16 to 17

Paul Unwin, who is overseeing the upgrades for National Highways, said:

“Safety is our top priority. Upgrading these barriers will improve journeys and significantly reduce the risk of vehicles crossing over from one carriageway to another, improving safety and reducing the duration of incident-related congestion.”

This work, which will be completed by 2025, is part of National Highways’ commitment to make England’s smart motorways safer.