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Car share lanes, also known as High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, have been in use in America since the 1970s.  It allows a car with two or more occupants to drive through highly congested roads.  When the scheme was first launched in California, some drivers put blow up dolls in the passenger seat.  This was soon outlawed.

In some parts of America, HOV lanes have been extended to allow low emission vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, irrespective of the number of occupants. However, this has caused problems in California where Prius drivers are clogging up the lanes.

When the M606-M62 lane is complete it will offer shorter delays at peak times for vehicles with more than one occupant moving from the M606 to the M62 bound for the Leeds and Wakefield directions, and for all other users entering the M62 eastbound. The lane will also benefit all other users of the Chain Bar junction.

Cllr Martyn Bolt, Kirklees Cabinet member for Transportation and Green Services, said:
"Kirklees Council will be keeping a close eye on scheme to ensure any short-term disruptions are minimised. People that use all the roads connecting at the Chain Bar roundabout and local residents are expected to gain longer-term benefits. By lessening stop-and-start queues residents may expect less pollution from idling engines."

The Highways Agency is keen to develop HOV lanes and is expected to trial a scheme on the M1 between junctions 7 and 10 (St. Albans to Luton) - currently undergoing a road-widening overhaul.