MP (Secretary of State for
Transport): Following concerns about smart motorway
safety, I asked my department to review the evidence and, if
needed, bring forward recommendations. Today (12 March 2020) I am
publishing that work and taking the action necessary to ensure
our roads are as safe as they can be.
Overall, what the evidence shows is that in most ways, smart
motorways are as safe as, or safer than, the conventional ones.
But not in every way. To ensure we are doing all we can do to
improve safety, I am publishing a package of 18 measures. This
will allow us to retain the benefits of smart motorways while
addressing the concerns that have been identified.
Smart motorways have helped us cope with a 23 percent rise in
traffic since 2000. They save motorists thousands of hours
sitting in jams. They reduce the disruption and environmental
destruction which would otherwise be needed to widen our busiest
roads.
Their growth, however, has not always been well explained, there
is not uniformity, and concerns exist over safety.
As part of our work we listened to the families who’ve campaigned
on this issue, and I want to pay tribute to them. I’m also
grateful to colleagues and groups like the AA and RAC who have
pursued this issue and helped us reach this outcome.
Alongside the report, and
annexed to it, which will be published on GOV.UK, therefore, I am
launching an extended package of measures - an action plan - to
raise the bar on smart motorway safety.
It will include:
- abolishing the confusing “dynamic hard shoulder” smart
motorways, where the hard shoulder operates only part-time and is
a live running lane the rest of the time
- substantially speeding up the deployment of “stopped vehicle
detection” technology across the entire “all lane running” smart
motorway network, so stopped vehicles can be detected and the
lanes closed more quickly. Highways England is to accelerate its
plans and install the technology within the next 36 months,
setting a clear public timetable for the first time
- faster attendance by more Highways England traffic officer
patrols on smart motorways where the existing spacing between
places to stop in an emergency is more than one mile, with the
aim of reducing the attendance time from an average of 17 minutes
to 10 minutes
- reducing the distance between places to stop in an emergency
to three quarters of a mile where feasible so that on future
schemes motorists should typically reach one every 45 seconds at
60mph. The maximum spacing will be 1 mile
- installing 10 additional emergency areas on the existing M25
smart motorways on the section of smart motorway with a higher
rate of live lane stops and where places to stop in an emergency
are furthest apart
- considering a national programme to install more emergency
areas where places to stop in an emergency are more than one mile
apart
- investigating M6 Bromford viaduct and the M1 at Luton,
Sheffield and Wakefield where there is evidence of clusters of
incidents. Where an intervention is considered likely to make a
difference, we will look to make changes at these locations
- making emergency areas more visible – all emergency areas
will have a bright orange road surface, dotted lines on the
surfacing showing where to stop, better and more frequent signs
on approach and signs inside giving information on what to do in
an emergency. These will be installed by the end of spring 2020
- more traffic signs giving the distance to the next place to
stop in an emergency, so you will almost always be able to see a
sign. Typically, these will be between approximately 330 and 440
yards apart
- more communication with drivers. We recognise that we could
do more therefore we are committing to an additional £5m on
national targeted communications campaigns to further increase
awareness and understanding of smart motorways, how they work and
how to use them confidently
- displaying ‘report of obstruction’ messages automatically on
electronic signs, triggered by the stopped vehicle detection
system, to warn drivers of a stopped vehicle ahead, this is
currently being trialled on the M25 and then a further trial on
the M3
- places to stop in an emergency shown on your satnav by
working with satnav providers to ensure the locations are shown
on the screen, when needed
- making it easier to call for help if broken down by working
with car manufacturers to improve awareness of the use of the
eCall ‘SOS’ button in newer cars to call for help
- we have changed the law to enable automatic detection of ‘red
X’ violations and enforcement using cameras and we will be
expanding the upgrade of smart motorway cameras (HADECS) to
identify more of those who currently ignore the ‘red X’. The
penalty is 3 points on the driver’s licence and a £100 fine, or
the driver can be referred to an awareness course
- an update of the Highway Code to provide more guidance
- closer working with the recovery industry on training and
procedures
- reviewing existing emergency areas where the width is less
than the current 15 foot wide standard. If feasible and
appropriate we will widen to this standard
- a review of the use of red flashing lights to commence
immediately. We have listened to the calls for recovery vehicles
to be allowed to use red flashing lights. We will commence work
immediately on a review.
My point on communication with drivers is important. Motorists
could be better informed about this change in our motorways. Many
do not know exactly what a smart motorway is, and are not aware
of when they are on one or not. We need to tackle the public
perception of, and public confidence in, the safety of smart
motorways as much as the reality.
By these measures we ensure safety is at the heart of our smart
motorway programme and assure public confidence in the motorway
network. We will continue to monitor the data and work with
campaigners to ensure that improvements are delivered.
