Northern Lincolnshire could soon see the first electric motorway

Plans have been discussed which could see the M180 become the 1st in the country

Motorway
Author: Andy MarshPublished 9th Feb 2022
Last updated 9th Feb 2022

We could be seeing the first ever electric motorway in Northern Lincolnshire.

Transport bosses are taking part in a nine month study as part of the government's plan to reach zero net emissions for heavy road freight.

The ‘ehighways’ will have a similar design to tail and trolley bus systems.

Justin Moss is leading Siemens’ contribution to the Electric Road Consortium – he says the M180 has been chosen for the plans.

He said: "It's a good opportunity to link the logistics between the port of Immingham and Doncaster".

"The way it works is by putting overhead lines over the slow lane of the motorway, it's like what you might expect with a light railway."

"It links an HGV lined to a pantograph".

"We would hope in the next 6 to 9 months we would start that journey of a trial and it would take 2 or 3 years to build and two years of test running, probably between 2023 and 27".

"It's still subject to approval and choice of the Government though".

"We see it as one of the best solutions to decarbonise HGVs and the transport sector which is about 18 per cent of emissions given through road transport."

Hear all the latest news from across Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire on the hour, every hour, on 96.9FM, DAB, at vikingfm.co.uk, and on the Viking FM app.