GPWizard F1 Forum
Everything Else => General Automotive => Topic started by: TheStig on March 21, 2008, 07:16:54 PM
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The first car-sharing lane on Britain's motorways has been opened to traffic in a bid to reduce journey times and carbon emissions.
The 1.7-mile road built on the hard shoulder linking the congested motorways between Bradford and Leeds in central Britain is only open to cars with two or more occupants.
Taxis, buses and coaches will also be able to use the 5.33-million-pound (about 10.66 million U.S. dollars) road, which cuts six to eight minutes off journey times, the Independent newspaper reported on Friday.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said she had identified 500 miles of motorway as possible sites for new traffic management schemes which could include car-sharing lanes to ease congestion and improve air quality.
Car-sharing lanes were pioneered in the United States, but drivers have tried to beat the system by putting inflatable dolls in passenger seats to fake car-sharing. Traffic police will patrol the new lane to prevent abuse of the rules.
TheStig