Costain, working as part of the SMP Alliance, has completed the construction of 41 new emergency areas on the M1 motorway between junctions 28 and 35A, delivering the project ahead of schedule.

The newly installed emergency areas span a 32-mile stretch of motorway running from Derbyshire to South Yorkshire, as part of National Highways’ £390 million National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme. The initiative is aimed at enhancing safety across the strategic road network, complementing existing technology such as stopped vehicle detection systems.

Strategically located where there is no permanent hard shoulder, the emergency areas provide a designated refuge for vehicles in distress. Each bay is approximately 100 metres long and is marked with distinctive orange surfacing and blue signage displaying an orange SOS telephone symbol.


The final phase of the project, covering junctions 28 to 30, included the installation of 22 emergency areas with improved spacing—cutting the distance between each by half to increase accessibility and safety.

Now fully open and operating at the national speed limit, the upgraded section of the M1 carries over 200,000 vehicles daily. The early completion is expected to enhance connectivity and ease congestion in the region.

Jacky Li, project director at Costain, said: "It's a fantastic achievement to have delivered these three schemes, which cover more than 30 miles of one of the UK's busiest motorways, ahead of schedule. Through a collaborative approach and a like-minded group of delivery and supplier network partners in SMP Alliance, we've been able to efficiently and safely deliver all 41 emergency areas for National Highways.

"Our work will improve the resilience of the local road network, and the additional emergency areas will increase safety, reduce disruption and improve mobility for road users for many years to come, helping to drive prosperity across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire."