Armagedon:
Where the distance between junctions is short moving into the inside ‘live’ lane then having to come out again almost immediately is an incredibly
dangerous manouvre,yes you can gain a few spaces because so many just stay where they are and you are able to undertake but if all lorries moved
over then all had to move back it would be chaos.This use of the hard shoulder could have been done so much cheaper using a traffic light system.
Green…use hard shoulder…Red…Don’t…the cost of the overhead gantrys must have been massive but the space is available,the motorway routes
could have been easily turned into 4 lane highways plus hard shoulder making it safer all round.Problem is those earning a living from running our networks
are not professional road users such as us lot, we should be given the opportunity to take over the whole show.
Not that simple I’m afraid. The hard shoulder needs to be strengthened and resurfaced and refuge areas need to be built. CCTV to monitor the road in case of breakdowns etc.
Widening costs 75 million per mile apparently and managed motorways significantly less so these days they’re going to go with the cheap option.
£75 million per mile Terry T which is why in a piece I have written for CM I propose the Fraud Squad investigates the relationship between the
Highways Agency and Road Contractors, whether they print it or not I wait but they usually do.
Given the amount of recent events shouldn’t it be called the cycle lane now! 
Given the need for speed, you should all use whatever tarmac is available to facilitate the expedition of the fastest possible journey time! Drivers call imo!
When the M6 is finished (if ever) after Hilton Park going north, some of those bridge supports look a little low in the new ‘managed’ lane and I think high stuff like dd’s and transporters may have a mis-hap if they’re not careful!
somerset bus driver:
It was bound to happen… the other afternoon on the M5 north between Cribbs and Aztec, I saw four cars running along the hard shoulder when the matrix signs allowing hard shoulder running were not on.
You’d think having done to all the expense of installing these bloody hard shoulder schemes, they’d leave a red ‘X’ on the sign when the hard shoulders out of operation. 
rob22888:
somerset bus driver:
It was bound to happen… the other afternoon on the M5 north between Cribbs and Aztec, I saw four cars running along the hard shoulder when the matrix signs allowing hard shoulder running were not on.
You’d think having done to all the expense of installing these bloody hard shoulder schemes, they’d leave a red ‘X’ on the sign when the hard shoulders out of operation.
Should be mandatory IMO, preferably flashing. There’s simply too many people not understanding how they work to do nothing about it.
TBH, I’m surprised ANPR cameras and fines isn’t the way they’ve gone. That would soon teach everyone.
Armagedon:
£75 million per mile Terry T which is why in a piece I have written for CM I propose the Fraud Squad investigates the relationship between the
Highways Agency and Road Contractors, whether they print it or not I wait but they usually do.
Good luck with that. Let us know if it gets in.
They have had hard shoulder running during rush hours in Massachusetts since I have lived here (cars only), it results in chaos every day with cars tearing along the shoulder and crossing exit and entrance slip roads usually resulting in an accident. Then there are the ■■■■■■■■ who ignore the actual posted times and think they can drive there any time they want and get tickets, so when the cops stop the shoulder drivers others slow right up to look at the pretty flashing lights and be nosey.
Pat Hasler:
They have had hard shoulder running during rush hours in Massachusetts since I have lived here (cars only), it results in chaos every day with cars tearing along the shoulder and crossing exit and entrance slip roads usually resulting in an accident. Then there are the [zb] who ignore the actual posted times and think they can drive there any time they want and get tickets, so when the cops stop the shoulder drivers others slow right up to look at the pretty flashing lights and be nosey.
I guess America us full of retards too, just like the UK.
Do you notice that when one driver moves over others follow 
If someone in officialdom says you can do something daft, then you can also ignore it.
“Congestion - Use Hard Shoulder” is one such "daft suggestion. If the road IS congested, and you come up against a breakdown over the brow of the next hill - then what?
I’ll stay in lane 2 unless I’m coming off at the next filter lane junction thanks very much.
Baffles me as to why people don’t use them too. Ive also noticed how some lorry drivers like changing lane ridiculously early too. Wondered why on a quiet motorway the truck in front moved into lane two the other day, found out 5 miles later, FIVE MILES! Lane one filtered off. That’s extreme forward planning! Personally I use all the road that is available and find that works just fine. As for changing lanes being incredibly dangerous as one person said! That’s just daft.
Having left Hilton park this morning, and got past those “roadworks” (lots of cones, bugger all going on) I wondered why I was given my own lane? Nobody else would touch the h/s but one professional driver in a trade plated tractor unit was blowing his horn at me for undertaking him. The sign said it was in use and I don’t see why I shouldn’t pass him (he was doing 50, no restrictions on the matrix boards).