Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Smart Motorway between junctions 32 and 35a of the M1 is due to open; and whether any speed limits are to be imposed on that section of the M1.

Smart Motorways are at the core of Highways England’s £15bn investment programme to transform England’s Strategic Road Network, helping to ease congestion and improve traffic flow. Keeping traffic moving reduces stop-start decelerations and accelerations, which in itself has air quality benefits.

Highways England will announce any measures to improve air quality on the M1 between junctions 32-35a when the Smart Motorway scheme opens, which is expected to be in March 2017.

Highways England has undertaken environmental assessments of the scheme during the design and construction. These are available on Highways England’s website.