No more smart motorways will be built for now amid safety concerns but current sections will not be returned to hard shoulders. Using the hard shoulder as a permanent live traffic lane increases capacity, but critics say it's unsafe and has led to deaths. Five years of safety and economic data for the schemes will be collected from the motorways built before … [Read more...]
Smart motorways worry drivers, say GEM
Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist says two thirds of motorists are concerned about safety on smart motorways. In a survey of more than 2,500 people the main concern expressed by 51 per cent was of breaking down with no access to a hard shoulder. GEM road safety officer Neil Worth commented that it was easy to see why motorists would be concerned. “The prospect of … [Read more...]
Drivers face safety school for “smart” offence – police
Drivers caught offending on so-called smart motorways in England could be offered re-education courses by police. Police chiefs said the new road rules were confusing motorists and more awareness was needed and have proposed classes similar to those for first time speeding offenders. Figures obtained by BBC Radio 5 live suggest an 18% rise in the number of people caught using the hard … [Read more...]
Put brakes on motorway lanes plan, say MPs
MPs want the brakes applied to Government plans for motorway hard shoulders to be turned into regular lanes. The concept has been suggested as a quick way of increasing motorway capacity but it has attracted criticism from motoring and road safety organisations. RAC chief engineer David Bizley, “Whilst supporting smart motorways as a cost effective and relatively rapid way of increasing … [Read more...]