An action plan to ensure smart motorways are as safe as
possible has been set out today by Transport Secretary
(Thursday 12 March).
Work will focus on getting help to broken down drivers much
quicker and making the schemes less confusing.
This follows analysis commissioned by the Transport Secretary
which found that overall, evidence shows that in most ways
smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, conventional
ones. Data shows that the risks that are lower on smart
motorways compared with conventional motorways include
tailgating, rapid changes of vehicle speeds, vehicles drifting
off the carriageway and vehicles being driven too fast.
However, some risks are higher than on conventional motorways,
for example the risk of a collision between a moving and
stationary vehicle.
In order to address these risks the Transport Secretary has
unveiled a package of 18 measures, which includes abolishing
confusing “dynamic hard shoulder” motorways and substantially
speeding up the deployment of “stopped vehicle detection” – a
radar-based system which spots stationary vehicles – so that it
is installed across the entire smart motorway network within 36
months.
This will enable broken down drivers to typically be
detected within 20 seconds, with lanes closed more quickly.
Grant Shapps,
Secretary of State for Transport, said:
“I’ve been greatly concerned by a number of deaths on smart
motorways, and moved by the accounts of families who’ve lost
loved ones in these tragic incidents.
“I commissioned an urgent stocktake of smart motorways to
provide a clearer picture of their safety and make
recommendations on next steps. I envisaged it to be swift,
but during the course of our investigations a complex picture
emerged – which warranted further work.
“That work has now concluded and overall, evidence shows that
in most ways smart motorways are as safe as or safer than
conventional ones.
“But I am clear that there is more we can do to raise the bar
on smart motorway safety. The extended package of measures I
have set out will help rebuild public confidence in our
motorway network and ensure that safety is firmly at the
heart of the programme.”
The changes will also ensure that the distance between places
to stop in an emergency is reduced to ¾ 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 one mile.
The action plan also sets out the government’s commitment to
installing ten additional emergency areas on the existing M25
smart motorway and considering a national programme to install
more places to stop where they are more than a mile apart.
Highways England will also investigate what more can be done on
sections of the M6 and M1 where there have been clusters of
incidents.
There will also be more communication with drivers to ensure
motorists feel as safe as possible on smart motorways. An
additional £5 million is being committed on national, targeted
communications campaigns to further increase drivers’ awareness
and understanding of smart motorways and how to use them
confidently. The campaign will launch later this year and
include advice on what to do if drivers break down on a smart
motorway.
