The Highways Agency’s managed motorway scheme between Junctions 10-13 of the M1 in Bedfordshire is now fully operational well before the target Spring opening date.

The contractors reached the milestone after key system and technology tests were completed at the end of last year.

An ECI contract was awarded to the Costain-Carillion joint venture back in September 2005. While the scheme is now fully operational, further work is required and will be completed at night when traffic levels are lower.

Lynne Stinson, the Highways Agency Project Manager, said: “Work on the M1 Junctions 10 to 13 managed motorways scheme has progressed well.

“We were able to start testing on the remaining sections of the project some four months earlier than originally planned. This meant road users were able to benefit from the extra lane capacity in time for the Christmas and New Year holiday, with variable speed limits helping to improve traffic flow.”

Paul McWilliam, the Highways Agency’s East Region Operations Manager, said: “Our Regional Control Centre had been using the system on the southern section between Junction 10-11 since July last year but now our control centre staff and the Agency’s on-road traffic officers based at Toddington will be able to manage the full length of the scheme.”

From its East Regional Control Centre at South Mimms, Agency staff can display overhead electronic signals to show variable mandatory speed limits and overhead message signs to indicate when drivers can use the hard shoulder as an extra lane.