Car sharers get own motorway in the North

Some things, Greenbang is led to believe, are even better if you add an extra person into the mix. No, Greenbang wasn’t talking about that.

There are lots of other things that it’s more fun to do with a partner or even in a threesome or foursome. No, Greenbang really isn’t talking about that. Playing table tennis is good with several people, for example, and going on a date really wouldn’t be quite the same if there was only one person involved.

Now the Department of Transport is pressing people to add more people to their cars by opening up a car share lane for those carrying two or more occupants, as well as buses and coaches. The 1.7-mile lane, built by the Highways Agency, links the southbound M606 near Bradford to the eastbound M62 towards Leeds. Apparently going in the car share will save cars six to eight minutes and there’s a great big emissions cutting kickback too.

Said Ruth Kelly, Minister for Transport:

“This new lane offers motorists the opportunity to reduce both their journey times and their carbon footprints. Currently, four out of five vehicles using this busy junction have only one occupant. I hope this new lane will encourage people to share their journeys, which will ease congestion, cut journey times and improve local air quality.

“The Government is committed to finding innovative ways to get more from our existing roads and improving journeys for motorists. We have identified around 500 miles of motorway as potential priority sites for new traffic management measures, which may also include more car share lanes.”

The lane will let cars on the M606 bypass congestion at J26 of the M62 and gain priority entry on to the eastbound M62, says the government, a busy commuter route from Bradford towards Leeds.