Motorists and hauliers will benefit from increased capacity on England's motorways by spring 2015 thanks to the acceleration of three upgrades, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced.

These will be delivered in this spending review period rather than the next, as the government introduces major improvements to the way road schemes are planned and built.

This new way of working should in future see lanes added to motorways in up to half the time it normally takes.

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The three schemes being accelerated are:

•M3 J2 to 4a, Surrey

•M6 J10a to 13, West Midlands

•M1 J28 to 31, Derbyshire

Vital improvements to A160/A180 route to the Port of Immingham will also start construction sooner than originally planned in the summer of 2015 and completed autumn 2016 - cutting 18 months off the original construction timetable.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "I am determined to cut the time it takes to upgrade our roads in half by dismantling procedures that have slowed us down.

"Together these schemes will increase capacity for millions of road users by 72 miles. My ambition is that in future all major road schemes will be accelerated, tackling congestion more quickly and boosting the economy."

(CD)