Police were forced to close a section of the eastbound carriageway of the M8 in Lanarkshire on safety grounds after its hard shoulder, being used as a contraflow lane, developed large cracks and a number of potholes.

The new "contraflow" lane restricted to high-occupancy vehicles is one of only two such highway configurations in the nation. It will provide five lanes of traffic inbound during morning rush hours, with three outbound. Through a system of moveable concrete barriers, the lanes will be switched for the evening rush hours, with five lanes of traffic going south, or outbound.

Projects for London include the Tottenham High Road contra-flow bus lane (CM last week) to which may be added a contraflow lane for westbound buses in Seven Sisters Road between Finsbury Park station and Holloway Road.