Driving on the hard shoulder gets green light from motorists

About half of all AA members back government plans to allow cars to use motorway hard shoulders to ease congestion, a survey revealed today.

But almost three in five of the 12,000 members polled are against charging solo drivers for using the hard shoulder.

Some 29 per cent said they were opposed to the idea of "hard shoulder running", which has been piloted on the M42 in the West Midlands.

The Government is also considering pay lanes on motorways, which would either be additional lanes to ease congestion or high-occupancy vehicle lanes that drivers could be charged to use if they are on their own.

Today's AA/Populus poll showed 53 per cent are opposed to new pay lanes and 58 per cent opposed to paying a toll to use a car share lane when alone.

AA president Edmund King said: "It is controversial to improve motorway capacity by removing the hard shoulder which is regarded as a safety feature.

"However, the pilot has shown that this can improve traffic flow, journey time reliability and retain safety levels.

"The Government will need to tread carefully as people want improvements but not at additional cost.

"Only a few weeks ago drivers were paying the highest price ever for petrol and diesel and fuel duty and road tax increases are still in the Government's mind."