Editing M1 motorway (section)

==Developments==
===A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass)===
{{Infobox Future Infrastructure Project
|property_name = A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass)
|location = Central Bedfordshire
|proposer = Highways Agency
|official website =
|status = Completed (summer 2017)
|type = Road
|estimated cost = £171{{nbsp}}million to £217{{nbsp}}million
|max cost =
|min cost =
|start = 2014
|finish = 2017
|image_name = Proposed Dunstable and Luton Northern Bypass.png
|image_size = 250px
|caption = The route of the Dunstable Northern Bypass proposal and route options for the connecting Luton Northern Bypass.
|osm_id =
|supporters =
|stakeholders =
|opponents =
|geometry = [http://umapper.s3.amazonaws.com/maps/kml/45349.kml KML]
}}
The A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass) is a two-lane dual carriageway running east from the A5 north of Dunstable joining the M1 at a new junction 11a south of Chalton.<ref>{{cite web|title=A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass)|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a5-m1-link-dunstable-northern-bypass|access-date=25 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104023258/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a5-m1-link-dunstable-northern-bypass/|archive-date=4 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Here, it is intended to join with a proposed Luton Northern Bypass to form a northern bypass for the wider conurbation. The A5-M1 Link aims to alleviate traffic congestion in Houghton Regis and Dunstable, reduce journey times for long-distance traffic travelling through Dunstable and improve the regional economy. The Highways Agency detrunked the A5 through Dunstable when the A5-M1 Link opened to the public in May 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dunstable Town Centre Masterplan|url=http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/local-business/business-information-and-advice/developments/dunstable-town-centre-masterplan.aspx|access-date=25 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822142703/http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/local-business/business-information-and-advice/developments/dunstable-town-centre-masterplan.aspx|archive-date=22 August 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> As part of the Dunstable Town Centre Masterplan, Central Bedfordshire Council built the {{convert|2.9|km|abbr=in}} Woodside Link to connect the new junction 11a to the industrial areas of Dunstable and Houghton Regis. Most of the road opened to traffic in autumn 2016 with the remaining section connecting to junction 11a.<ref>{{cite web|title=Woodside Link road|url=http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/woodsidelink|access-date=25 November 2014}}</ref>

===M1/M69 junction===
There is a proposal to widen the M1 to dual four-lane or dual five-lane between junctions 21 and 21a and construct a new link road between the M1 and the [[M69 motorway|M69]]. During this work the [[Leicester Forest East services]] would be closed, and possibly relocated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/14485.aspx |title=M1/M69 Public Consultation Information – The new solution |publisher=Highways Agency |access-date=7 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603171810/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/14485.aspx |archive-date= 3 June 2009 }}</ref> Consultation took place in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/14484.aspx |title=M1/M69 Public Consultation Information – what happens now |publisher=Highways Agency |access-date=7 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605162145/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/14484.aspx |archive-date=5 June 2009 }}</ref><ref name="HA4347">{{cite web|title=M1 Junctions 21 to 31 Improvements|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4347.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717053402/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4347.aspx|archive-date=17 July 2012|access-date=9 July 2012|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref> {{As of|May 2022}}, work on this scheme has still not begun.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.roads.org.uk/motorway/m69/10|title=M69 (M1 J21) Whetstone Interchange|website=Roads.org.uk}}</ref>

=== M1 junction 19 improvement ===
Following the report of a public inquiry in March 2013, the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 18 July 2013 that work to update the [[Catthorpe Interchange]] at junction 19, between the M1 motorway, [[M6 motorway]] and [[A14 road (England)|A14 road]], close to [[Catthorpe]],<ref name="HA11934">{{cite web|title=M1 Jct 19|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/11934.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316011954/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/11934.aspx|archive-date=16 March 2008|access-date=28 February 2008}}</ref> would go ahead.<ref>{{cite web|date=18 July 2013|title=Press release:Go ahead for two new road schemes in the Midlands|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/go-ahead-for-two-new-road-schemes-in-the-midlands|access-date=13 October 2013|publisher=Department for Transport}}</ref> Work on the £191{{nbsp}}million three-layer interchange started in January 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Catthorpe: £191&nbsp;million M1/M6/A14 junction improvement work to begin|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Catthorpe-pound-191-million-M1-M6-A14-junction/story-20395398-detail/story.html|url-status=dead|access-date=13 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714151648/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Catthorpe-pound-191-million-M1-M6-A14-junction/story-20395398-detail/story.html|archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref> The scheme was fully opened to traffic in December 2016.<ref name="scheme">{{cite web|title=M1 Junction 19 Improvement Scheme|url=http://roads.highways.gov.uk/projects/m1-junction-19-improvement-scheme/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129040519/http://roads.highways.gov.uk/projects/m1-junction-19-improvement-scheme/|archive-date=29 November 2016|access-date=11 January 2017|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref>

=== A421 dualling from Milton Keynes to M1 junction 13 ===
In conjunction with the [[M1 motorway#Recent developments|M1 widening schemes]] and dualling of the A421 between M1 junction 13 and the A1 near St Neots, proposals were made to widen the A421 between the M1 junction 13 in Bedfordshire and the Kingston roundabout in Milton Keynes.<ref name=SEERA1>
{{cite web
 |url=http://www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/documents/factsheet/03.pdf
 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100702205428/http://www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/documents/factsheet/03.pdf
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=2 July 2010
|title=A421 Milton Keynes to M1 
 |publisher=[[South East England Regional Assembly]] 
 |access-date=22 July 2009 }}</ref> Exhibitions were held in June 2005 which rejected proposals to re-route the road in favour of widening the current road. In 2005, the project was given an estimated total cost of £33{{nbsp}}million.<ref name="BLTP1">
{{cite web |url=http://bedfordshire.gov.uk/ltp/section_15.html |title=Bedfordshire Local Transport Plan 2006/07 – 2010/11 – Major projects |publisher=Bedfordshire County Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305233217/http://bedfordshire.gov.uk/ltp/section_15.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead |access-date=9 December 2008}}</ref>

Funding of £23.5{{nbsp}}million was confirmed by the government for these works, as part of the [[South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership]] "Local Growth Deal".<ref>{{cite news|title=£23.5million project unveiled to upgrade A421 to dual carriageway |url=http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/local/23-5million-project-unveiled-to-upgrade-a421-to-dual-carriageway-1-6161006|work =Milton Keynes Citizen |access-date=27 January 2015 |date=7 July 2014}}</ref> As part of the government's [[Traffic bottleneck|pinch point]] reduction programme,  work commenced in 2014 on the A421 in Milton Keynes to improve the Kingston roundabout, and dual the section from it to (near) the Bedfordshire border, with the construction of two new roundabouts on the route. The road corridor includes a separate [[cycleway]].<ref name="Citizen 141220" />

The upgrade work for this final phase of the plan, the section running from junction 13 to [[Eagle Farm, Milton Keynes|Eagle Farm]] roundabout, started in September 2018 and was completed in December 2020.<ref name="Citizen 141220">{{cite news| title= Multi-million pound project improving road link between Bedford and Milton Keynes complete | url= https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/transport/multi-million-pound-project-improving-road-link-between-bedford-and-milton-keynes-complete-3067197 | author= Logan MacLeod | date= 14 December 2020 | access-date= 14 December 2020 | work = [[Milton Keynes Citizen]]}}</ref>

=== Smart Motorways ===
==== M1 widening and variable speed limits, junctions 6A to 10 (M25 to Luton South) ====
Work began on the {{convert|10|mi|km|adj=on}} section between the [[M25 motorway|M25]] and Luton (J6A-J10) in 2006 and opened in 2009, which included the construction of new parallel [[Local–express lanes|collector-distributor lanes]] between junctions 7 and 8.

The [[M10 motorway (Great Britain)|M10]] spur was built as a motorway because it inevitably led to the M1, but as non-motorway traffic could now travel between the A414 at Hemel Hempstead and Park Street Roundabout without having to access the M1, the M10 was downgraded to an [[Great Britain road numbering scheme|A road]], and designated as part of the [[A414 road|A414]] to allow for this. The work also included widening or replacement of 11 underbridges on one or both carriageways, and replacing seven overbridges<ref>{{cite web|title=M1 Jct 6a to 10 Widening|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4478.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916021803/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4478.aspx|archive-date=16 September 2009|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref> at a total cost of £294&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|title=9 Mar 2009 : Column 10W—continued|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090309/text/90309w0003.htm|work=Hansard}}</ref> A [[Smart motorway|variable mandatory speed limit]] system was installed, making this the first [[smart motorway]] scheme on the M1.

==== M1 dynamic hard shoulder running, junctions 10 to 13 (Luton South to Milton Keynes South) ====
Work to introduce [[Smart motorway#Dynamic hard shoulder running|dynamic hard shoulder running]] on approximately {{convert|15|mi|km}} of motorway between Luton and Milton Keynes (J10-J13) was completed in December 2012, at a total cost of £327&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|title=M1 Junctions 10–13 Improvements|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m1-junction-10-13-improvements/|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140207102850/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m1-junction-10-13-improvements/|archive-date=7 February 2014|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref> This made the hard shoulder available to be opened as a traffic lane where additional capacity was necessary. Modifications were made to junctions 11 and 12,<ref name="HA5">{{cite web|title=M1 Jct 10 to 13 Improvements|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4482.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629032930/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4482.aspx|archive-date=29 June 2012|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref> to allow for four lanes running through each junction, and the [[A421 road|A421]] from junction 13 to the [[Bedford]] southern bypass was also upgraded to two lanes each way during this period.<ref>{{cite web|title=A421 Bedford to M1 Junction 13|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4584.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605115952/http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4584.aspx|archive-date=5 June 2011|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref> The scheme will likely be converted to [[Smart motorway#All lane running|all lane running]] at some point in the 2020 decade, alongside all other dynamic hard shoulder running schemes. This was because a Government review into smart motorways found dynamic hard shoulder running was too confusing for drivers, leading to plans to convert all dynamic hard shoulders into permanent running lanes.<ref>{{cite web|last=|title=Action plan announced to boost smart motorway safety|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/action-plan-announced-to-boost-smart-motorway-safety|access-date=19 June 2020|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>

==== M1 widening and variable speed limits, junctions 25–28 (Nottingham to Mansfield) ====
Work to widen the {{convert|15|mi|km|adj=on}} section from Nottingham to [[Mansfield]] (J25-J28) to four lanes each way began in October 2007 and was completed in May 2010, at a cost of £340&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|title=M1 widening J25-28: work to reduce congestion and improve safety starts in earnest|url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/newsroom.aspx?pressreleaseid=156326|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605130555/http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/newsroom.aspx?pressreleaseid=156326|archive-date=5 June 2011|access-date=20 January 2008|publisher=Highways Agency}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=£340m M1 contract to MVM consortium|url=http://www.emcbe.com/january-constructive-article6.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117183458/http://www.emcbe.com/january-constructive-article6.html|archive-date=17 January 2016}}</ref> A 50&nbsp;mph limit, enforced by [[Traffic enforcement camera|average speed cameras]], was imposed for the period of construction, but it proved to be so effective that a permanent variable mandatory speed limit system was installed.<ref>{{cite news|date=3 January 2010|title=M1 works speed cameras will stay|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8438375.stm|quote=Temporary cameras installed for widening road works between junctions 25 and 28 have proved so effective they will stay, it has been confirmed.}}</ref> In 2023, following a previous debate on the issue, local MPs [[Mark Fletcher (politician)|Mark Fletcher]] and [[Lee Anderson (British politician)|Lee Anderson]] called on the government to upgrade junction 28, describing it as a "pinch point" disadvantaging local residents and businesses.<ref>[https://www.chad.co.uk/news/transport/mps-to-gather-in-westminster-to-call-for-improvements-to-m1-junction-near-mansfield-4142811 MPs to gather in Westminster to call for improvements to M1 junction near Mansfield] ''Chad'', 16 May 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-67661397 M1: New plans for junction 28 upgrade to be sent to government] ''[[BBC News]]'', 11 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023</ref>

==== M1 widening and variable speed limits, junctions 13–16 (Milton Keynes South to Northampton West) ====
National Highways converted the existing {{convert|23|mi| adj = on}} section of the M1 between Milton Keynes and Northampton (J13-J16) into an all-lane-running (ALR) smart motorway consisting of four lanes running in both directions without a hard shoulder, with the project's cost being £373{{nbsp}}million. Construction began in January 2018, with the scheme opening in stages until 9 March 2023, when the project was fully complete.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/east/m1-junction-13-to-junction-16-smart-motorway/#documents |title=M1 junction 13 to junction 16: smart motorway |publisher = National Highways |date = 9 January 2023 |access-date = 22 January 2023}}</ref>

===Other proposals===
The speed limit between M1 junctions 33 to 34, near Rotherham, has been reduced to 60&nbsp;mph, to reduce levels of [[nitrogen dioxide]]. The plans were to be implemented before October 2020,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-54130862 |title=Motorways to trial 60mph limits to cut pollution |publisher = BBC News |date = 12 September 2020 |access-date =12 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Paton|first=Graeme|title=Motorway speed limit of 60mph to cut pollution|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/motorway-speed-limit-of-60mph-to-cut-pollution-x87rqcb20|work=[[The Times]]|date=12 September 2020|access-date=13 September 2020|issn=0140-0460|url-access=subscription}}</ref> and {{asof|2023|August|lc=yes}} the speed limit reduction is still in place.