Collingtree Smart Motorway update

Today I had a positive virtual meeting with Highways England and members of Collingtree Parish Council regarding the noise mitigation measures as part of the M1 Smart Motorway works.

Residents have been rightly concerned about the noise levels as part of the motorway and its upgrading, and I am pleased to report that progress has been made!

Lane 4 was resurfaced in April 2020, and Lanes 1, 2 and 3 will be resurfaced with noise mitigation materials in September/October 2021, with the work to be finished by January 2022. 

A 3m (10ft) barrier will be installed for construction and acoustic benefits, at the top of the bank and this will take place in April/May of this year. Significant new planting will be undertaken by Highways England in consultation with residents.

Additionally, work on Junctions 15 and 16 will start in 2022/2023 and be finished by 2023/2024. Junctions 13 and 14 will be open in March, and the project should be completed by March 2022. 

This is great news for the Collingtree community - it will help to reduce the noise from the M1 and the works that are continuing as part of the project.  I asked HE whether they think Collingtree will be ‘better off’ from a noise perspective than they were before the project began, and I was assured that this will indeed be the case!

Thank you to Highways England for their swift response to this issue and for proactively working with Collingtree Parish Council, Owen Coop and Rod Sellers.