Since they’ve pulled the cones in on this section I’ve travelled it many times and not once have I seen this lane in use.
What a waste of time and money 
i was just thinking the same
have only just started running up this hellhole after about 12 months
twice in the last week the signs have had us down to 40 due to nothing happening ( i mean accidents or the like ) and the 4th lane wasn’t in use
aaaaah nooooooooooo ive replied to post by one the jonah’s
if you want me i’m in the garden digging a big hole to hide in
Thats because its not operational yet for some reason 
Highways agency website reckons it will be in use sometime in 2007 
The later the better in my mind sounds down right dangerous to me, I do breakdowns and sometimes have to do M42 breakdowns,
Now they reckon it will only be used at peak times etc but it only takes one pillock who is late for work shooting down the hard shoulder not paying any attention to the matrix signs whcih are oh so reliable , right into someone working on a broken down artic and
BANG YOUR DEAD
bagpuss:
twice in the last week the signs have had us down to 40 due to nothing happening ( i mean accidents or the like )
That is because it is a automatic system as far as i konw with sensors in the road, so someone brakes for some reason then the traffic following too close has to brake harder etc etc so eventually the traffic slows to a stop the the computer kicks in and puts up the speed limit signs further down the road to slow the traffic coming up to the queue,
Once the computer senses that the traffic is flowing again it should switch the signs back off
Great idea if it works properly