Caught on camera: Lone motorist drives his sports car down Britain's first car-sharing motorway lane just hours after it opened
Last updated at 13:57pm on 20th March 2008
Just hours after the UK's first motorway car-share lane opened today a lone motorist was caught on camera breaking the rules.
The lane is open to vehicles carrying two or more people in a bid to ease motorway congestion.
But the driver of a smart black TVR sports car seemed oblivious to the scheme as he drove through the new zone - without a single passenger.
The driver steered his convertible car straight over a huge sign emblazoned on the road warning that the lane is only for cars carrying two or more passengers.
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Caught on camera: The first driver to be caught using the new car-share lane designed for two or more drivers. He was alone in his carHe could now face a maximum £30 penalty for the offence.
The £5.33 million, 1.7-mile lane links the southbound M606 from Bradford to the eastbound M62 towards Leeds, bypassing a notoriously congested section where the two motorways merge.
The lane opened today to vehicles carrying two or more people and is estimated that it will save road users an average of six to eight minutes per journey - 30 to 40 minutes a week for regular commuters.
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Breaking the law: The driver of this vehicle could now face a £30 penalty for driving in the car-share lane without any passengersIt can also be used by motorcyclists, even if they are not carrying passengers, but will not be open to HGVs.
It is hoped that the lane, which will allow motorists priority entry on to the busy eastbound carriageway of the M62, will ease congestion elsewhere on the motorways.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly opened the new lane today and said the Government was looking into the possibility of introducing other traffic management measures on 500 miles of motorway across the country.
She said: "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.
"It makes really good sense here. This is an incredibly busy stretch of motorway where I know people suffer from traffic congestion and traffic jams.
"There are many people that come on to the motorway for a relatively short amount of time. By building the car-share lane, we can very significantly reduce their journey time."
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Gridlock: The new car-share scheme has been introduced to help ease motorway congestionTraffic police would be "keeping an eye" on the lane to ensure that only those vehicles with more than one passenger were using it, Ms Kelly added.
"We have the police in force today, making sure the people apply the rules appropriately," she said.
"They are very committed to working with the Highways Agency to ensure the success of this scheme."
John Jarvis, transport project director for Northern Way, which funded the project, added: "If we can encourage greater levels of car sharing through the provision of dedicated lanes at suitable locations it will help lock in the benefits of additional road capacity and be good for the economy and the environment."
police have got better things to do surely than to monitor whether people are travelling in the right lanes
