Highways England is to build ten new ‘smart motorways’ across England as part of a £1.5 billion investment.

Three of these projects will start in autumn this year: 2 in the Midlands – M1 junction 19 to junction 16 in Northamptonshire and the M5 Junction 4a to Junction 6 in Worcestershire, and 1 in the North West – M6 junction 16 to junction 19 near Stoke-on-Trent.

The smart motorway schemes, part of the £15 billion government investment Highways England is delivering between now and 2021, will see 292 extra lane miles added to motorways. The hard shoulder will be converted to a traffic lane and signing and technology will tell drivers what speed to drive at, if lanes are blocked or closed and about incidents up ahead.

Roads minister, Andrew Jones, said: “As part of our long-term economic plan, we are investing more than £1.5 billion over the next five years in upgrading congested sections of motorway. This means better journeys for millions of people across the country, easier access to jobs, and stronger links between towns and cities. This is good for the economy and good for Britain.”

Contractors have also been appointed for a number of future schemes:

• M6 junction 2 to junction 4 in the Midlands, expected to start work in 2017/2018;
• M4 junction 3 to junction 12 in London and Berkshire due to start work in 2016/2017;
• M1 junction 24 to junction 25 in the East Midlands and the M1 junction 13 to junction 16 in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire are expected to start work in 2016/2017;
• M6 junction 13 to junction 15 in Staffordshire, the M20 junction 3 to junction 5 in Kent, and the M23 junction 8 to junction 10 in Surrey and West Sussex, all expected to start work 2017/2018.