A new road project could add thousands more journeys to a major motorway as a popular area looks to get crucial improvement work started.

National Highways is in the "early stages" of exploring ways to improve "safety and travel times" at Junction 28 of the M1 in South Normanton, Derbyshire.

The transport authority, which maintains motorways and major A roads in the UK, said it was seeking to "develop solutions" to benefit all road users at the junction.

This comes after transport-focused group Midlands Connect said there could be more than 80,000 additional journeys a week at the junction in 2035.

Improvements to J28 of the M1 could help increase road capacities adding thousands more journeys

National Highways said it was awaiting the results of a Government spending review for a longer-term strategy after receiving a £4.8billion interim settlement from the Department for Transport for 2025/26.

Midlands Connect said data showed there could be 81,830 extra trips a week using junction 28 of the M1 in 2035 due to the potential increase in the number of homes and jobs in the area.

The organisation, which is made up of local authorities, businesses and representatives of Government bodies, said "rat-running" through nearby towns and villages would be reduced if repairs were carried out.

MPs, councils and businesses have asked for the project to be included in the Government's upcoming Road Investment Strategies.

Experts have warned that the M1 could be overrun in some sections, including Derbyshire PA

The transport group's projections highlight the significant pressure expected on the junction as development continues in the surrounding region.

Bolsover MP Natalie Fleet said upgrades to the junction were "essential" and added she would "continue to press" the Government to make the improvements.

Councillor Rob Reaney, deputy leader of Derbyshire County Council, told the BBC that the junction was at "maximum capacity".

"This problem isn't going away, and it's clear that extra investment is needed now to keep pace with the level of economic development in the area in the future," he said.

National Highways' head of planning and development, Kamaljit Khokhar, said the body was "always looking" at ways to improve journeys.

"Working closely with Midlands Connect, we continue to support a strategic approach to long-term investment as we seek to develop solutions to benefit all road users," he added.

The interim settlement comes as National Highways continues its broader programme of motorway improvements, including ongoing work to add emergency areas to all-lane running sections.

Between January 2024 and January 2025, the organisation has been retrofitting additional emergency areas on the M1 between Junctions 30 and 31, with work progressing towards completion in March 2025.

The M1 is one of the busiest motorways in the UK with thousands of vehicles using it daily

The funding decision will be crucial for determining whether the M1 junction 28 improvements can proceed as part of future Road Investment Strategies. A date for the decision has yet to be announced by National Highways or the Department for Transport.