News & Features
Rollout of Smart Motorways Put on Hold
Posted in General News on Tuesday, January 18th, 2022
The government has announced that the introduction of new smart motorways will cease until five years of safety data becomes available. The Department for Transport (DfT) has recently invested £900 million to improve the safety of existing All Lane Running (ALR) smart motorways. Despite the current data showing that smart motorways are comparatively the safest roads in the country in terms of fatality rates, the government will go further in making sure that motorways without a permanent hard shoulder are equipped with the “best in-class technology and resources” to make them as safe as they can possibly be. This includes an investment of £390 million to be used for the installation of more emergency areas. This should result in a 50% increase in emergency areas by 2025, giving drivers more reassurance.
The DfT has welcomed the Transport Committee’s report which approved its focus on further improving the safety of existing ALR smart motorways rather than reinstating the hard shoulder. The committee concluded that hard shoulders are not always a safe place to stop and by reducing the traffic capacity of motorways more drivers and passengers could be at risk of death or serious injury if they were to divert on to local roads which aren’t as safe. Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps commented: “One of my first actions as Transport Secretary was to order a stocktake of smart motorways and since then, I have worked consistently to raise the bar on their safety. I am grateful to the Transport Committee and to all those who provided evidence for its work. While our initial data shows that smart motorways are among the safest roads in the UK, it’s crucial that we go further to ensure people feel safer using them.”
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Diane
Tuesday, January, 18th, 2022
I really dislike the so called Smart Motorway’s the space between the refuge areas seem so far apart, I would hate to break down on one with traffic passing at 70+ miles per hour, and trying to get out of car in power chair with no chance of getting over barriers, apparently safer to stay in car with seat belt on. I have watched programmes with police and break down companies going to help motorists seeing speeding cars and HGVs passing. How the Govt. ministers can say they are safe I have no idea, I was going to a large shopping centre one week ago driving on M62 leaving J27 with smart motorway on way to the junction absolutely awful.
Diane
Tuesday, January, 18th, 2022
Terrible things, dangerous speeding traffic passing broken down vehicles in refuge areas, apparently safer to stay in vehicle with seat belt on, in WAVs as couldn’t get over barrier in power chair. They should be put back to motorways with hard shoulder, not smart ones.
Elaine Gaussen
Tuesday, January, 18th, 2022
But they are continuing with the work on the M27. So are there any special precautions for that route? It has been in a mess with road works for years!