Transport Secretary Alistair Darling has announced that the UK's first ever car-share motorway lane scheme is to be trialled on the M1.

The aim is to reduce congestion on the motorways and lone drivers who stray into the lanes will face fines.

The government estimates there would be 5% fewer cars on the road if car sharing was adopted.

The lane will be for vehicles carrying two or more people and will be trialled between three junctions on a stretch of the M1 motorway between Milton Keynes and St Albans.

Is the scheme a good idea? Would you consider car sharing so you could use the lane? What other ways could be used to reduce congestion?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

Your comments:

The non-share lanes will become more congested than ever Mike, Gloucester, UK

By all means, let's have trials. My suspicion, though, is that people won't share more: all that will happen is that the non-share lanes will become more congested than ever...
Mike, Gloucester, UK

The usual simplistic nonsense. Maybe the evil "business man" on his own in a car is making a much more important journey than another full of people! Who's to judge the relative importance? Personally I shall use the lane anyway if it is moving faster - so shoot me, Darling.
Robert, Leighton Buzzard

Well it works in America so it was a matter of time until it came here. However unlike in America our motorways are three lanes wide and that presents a problem which our current government will be keen to overlook in its rush for pre election headline grabbing legislation. Looking on the bright side the sale of mannequins will increase which will be good news for that market sector.
David Burch, London

Fantastic! About time. Car pooling works great in LA. I for one, who already car pool, will be pleased not to be stuck behind lone drivers.
Jane, London

So let me get this straight: to tackle congestion on 3 lane motorways, we'll force most vehicles to use only 2 of them. Yeah, that'll work.
Oliver Adams, Godalming UK

I think it's a brilliant idea Lisa, Harwich, England

I think it's a brilliant idea and should be used all over the country. It's about time some sense was used in this issue!
Lisa, Harwich, England

Who thinks up these crazy ideas? How are they going to enforce it? The ban on using mobile phones while driving is being virtually ignored - mainly because of the ludicrous current penalty of only �30. I don't doubt this brain-wave will be treated the same way, unless of course the penalty is �300 plus 3 points on your license, but don't hold your breathe.
Cliff, Colchester UK

The motorway needs to be expanded Jill Copleston, UK

I think it is difficult for some groups in society to car share. As petrol is so expensive, if it is at all possible people should try to share. I try not to use the M25 at peak times. The motorway needs to be expanded. I wish the experiment every success.
Jill Copleston, UK

At least you'll have someone to talk to in a jam.
Simon, London

No. This government should start spending a fraction of the �40 Billion per year they take from motorists in taxes, and build some 21st century roads!
Andy, Manchester, England

I worked in California where they use this idea and it does seem to work. However, they have one lane given over to it on a 6 lane highway. I fail to see how reducing a three lane motorway to 2 is going to have the desired effect. Surely it will be like the bus lane fiasco on the M4.
Tony, UK

Anything that reduced the number of cars on our road is a good thing. Driving to work alone is so energy inefficient - huge quantities of energy are being used just to take one person to work. Encouraging people to share cars will have a good effect. Encouraging them to share busses and trains would be even better.
David, Cornwall, UK

It is these 'Sunday' drivers that need to be re-educated on the use of high speed roads Lee, Pasadena, USA

I live in the Los Angeles area and have to say that HOV lanes don't solve the traffic problem. Too many times I have seen drivers doing 50mph in the HOV lane on a 65mph freeway. It is these 'Sunday' drivers that need to be re-educated on the use of high speed roads, not pandered to by politicians looking for re-election.
Lee, Pasadena, USA

Car sharing is probably a sensible idea to trial. Wouldn't it be a far better idea to limit development in the already overcrowded areas of the UK so that less densely populated areas could take some of the strain!
Clive, Woking

I think I'll buy shares in the blow-up doll industry. In the US, people simply stick one in the passenger seat and use the car-sharing lane.
Gareth, Bermuda

As a field based support engineer who travels alone, I guess I can look forward to sitting for even longer on the M1 from now on. Thanks Mr Darling. I presume of course that a cabinet minister and chauffeur count as car sharing as well! Exempt as usual.
Dan, Yateley, UK

Wow - a great idea in principle , but it'll turn out to be one concentrated patch of immense Road Rage. Some drivers will simply ignore it!
Tony, UK

Here we go again! Cries of nanny state! Tony, UK

Here we go again! Cries of nanny state! Since when is a government proactively trying to improve things a nanny state? Would we prefer the alternative, they just sit around all day and do nothing? There's always such negativity about everything these days.
Tony, UK

Great news! At least it is for people who make mannequins. We know this will be policed by camera (if at all) so all you need is a vaguely realistic, life-sized mannequin in your passenger seat and you can drive your SUV in the car-pool lane with impunity.
Jonny, England

I'd like to reserve my comment until I've actually seen this idea in action, please.
Julie, UK

Excellent! I shall await my Road Tax rebate to accompany the loss of my right to use a section of public road!
Lee, London, UK

Shock! People are already complaining. Everybody moans about congestion, then when something is done about it, they complain about that! The no traffic wardens experiment in St Albans proved that 99% of drivers cannot be trusted and NEED to be told what to do. This lane is a fantastic Idea. Variable lanes will not work because you can't trust drivers to be in adjacent lanes, each doing 70+mph. The sooner these measures are brought in, the better.
Vish, UK

A clear win for people who use the system Chris, UK and Portugal

Think of it like this - one car in the fast lane with two people in it means one less car in the other three lanes. A clear win for people who use the system and for those who don't.
Chris, UK and Portugal

5% fewer cars. So in that picture there'd probably be about 5 less cars. Will that really make any difference? A fully integrated public transport policy is what's needed but that would actually involve the government doing some work. Fat chance of that then.
John Kelly, Cardiff, Wales

Instead of encouraging people to use cars why don't they get people to try more efficient alternatives - such as motorcycles?
Kenny, Bicester

As soon as I see Tony and Gordon hitching a ride with John in his Jag, I'll follow their example.
David, Livingston, Scotland

We have the HOV lanes here in the DC area. It seems to do little for the traffic flow but when there's two of you in the car, boy you feel so good passing all the stationary cars in the other lanes!
Kevin, USA, Washington DC

I'm off to buy a store-room dummy...
Gerry, UK

It is nothing more than a stop gap Stephen, Bedford, UK

It is nothing more than a stop gap measure as has been proven time and again in the US. It has not diminished congestion because with the busy schedules we all have it is not convenient to share a ride with someone. The best answer would have been a proactive attempt some 20 years ago to anticipate the traffic of today and build a monorail system on a vast scale. It didn't happen and we are now playing catch up but we will never catch up.
Stephen, Bedford, UK

Not content with taxing us off the roads this 'nanny state' Government now decides to tell us how many people need to be in our cars! If I'm driving from Leeds to London does this mean I have to pop off at Hatfield and pick up a stranger to avoid the queues? Unbelievable. This country and its transport system is one big joke.
John, Leeds UK

The idea of sharing your car with someone else is not one that grabs you. We all know what kind of people are out there. Anyway if it works then I will have to eat my hat, but I think that will never happen. I believe that the variable lane system is a much better option. This scheme is much more efficient than the car-share motorway lane scheme. This system works better because it is much easier to look over. As here the lanes change direction at peak hours. Even the system used on the M25 near the M4 is much more efficient than this scheme.
Mr Singh, London

I think this is a fantastic idea Anna, Peterborough

I think this is a fantastic idea - I find it infuriating to see so many business men in their huge, petrol guzzling company cars by themselves. Seeing a mother on the school run zipping by in the special lane may make them do their bit for the environment and traffic reduction. Why not cram 5 people in your car? It can't be any less cramped than most train carriages at rush hour, and a fair bit cheaper.
Anna, Peterborough

A 5% reduction in car traffic is insignificant and car sharing is only as good as those willing to share their vehicle and those riding willing to take their turn in sharing fuel costs.
Hazel, UK

Interesting headline-grabbing gimmick. How much police resources will be diverted from tackling REAL crime to enforce this?
Graham, Southampton

I think this sounds like and interesting initiative and well worth the trial. I'd certainly use it and think others will too. I'll watch with interest the trial's outcome and at the end of the day these sort of ideas are worth giving a go.
Juliette, Chester

I'm a regular user of this stretch of road as I work as a field engineer. It'll be interesting to see how this affects long distance drivers like myself who have a different destination each day making car pooling impossible.
Iain, Northampton, UK