The aim of an Active Traffic Management scheme on a motorway is to

Explanation: Active Traffic Management schemes are intended to reduce congestion and make journey times more reliable. In these areas the hard shoulder may be used as a running lane to ease congestion at peak times or in the event of an incident. It may appear that you could travel faster for a short distance, but keeping traffic flow at a constant speed may improve your journey time.

Category: Motorway Rules

References: The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: Section 18