HMG have annouced in the budget.."extra money for improvements in the sw section of the M25. All the rest of the "works" are just to slow down traffic and reduce air pollution!

The unofficial rumour is that when the works do eventually lift, automated average speed controls will remain, as it's been noted that rush hour traffic flow is better with a 50mph avg in place.

I dont use it for commuting, but do live a short drive from J4a. Heading home from London after 11pm in minimal traffic is frustrating with that limit in place.

Edited by Sulphur Man on 10/03/2017 at 12:04

And just for the record, 'improvements' is as much a misnomer as 'smart motorway' twhich they claim to be creating.

There will be no hard shoulder, so unless you arrange to break down in a designated area, you'll be stopping not on the hard shoulder but in the left lane.

As I've said before, only men in suits who commute to London by train and never use a motorway could have thought of that. Sadly there will have to be a fatal accident before anyone admits thta it isn't a success.

anyone travelling from the M25 onto the A13 will know the previous 70 mph road now has an extended (and very frustrating at 9 am on a Sunday morning) section set at 50 mph with average speed cameras to police ... it's called an improvement and yes, the road has been changed but in fact it's also been used as an excuse to make drivers drive more slowly ... make journeys longer and such .... safer? probably not at 9 am on a Sunday morning!

I notice that the Highways England webpage is still saying the completion date for the M3 "Smart Motorway" between J2 and J4a is June 2017, so only 7 days to go now!

There still appeared to be a lot of work going on when I joined at the south bound at J4 yesterday; but the speed limit had been raised from 50 mph to an amazing 55mph.