09:30, Wednesday 30 June 2021
In the final session of the Committee’s inquiry into The
roll-out and safety of smart motorways, MPs will take
evidence from the Department for Transport and Highways England.
The Committee will examine the evidence base for the safety of
smart motorways and consider how effectively the Government’s
18-point action plan, published in March 2020, addresses the
safety risks that arise when the hard shoulder is used as a live
lane of traffic.
Highways England recently released its one-year progress report,
which included plans to accelerate some of the measures outlined
in the action plan. The Government also commissioned the Office
of Rail and Road to examine the statistics on the safety of smart
motorways; the report was sent to the Secretary of State on 28
June 2021.
MPs will also question ministers and officials about the
strategic and economic case for these motorways and the
Government’s decision to abolish the dynamic hard shoulder.
In June 2016, the then Transport Committee published its report
on all-lane running. Five
years on, MPs will be examine the progress Highways and the
Department for Transport have made in implementing the safety
measures promised to its predecessors back in 2016.
Witnesses from 09.30:
-
,
Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, Department for Transport
- Jill Adam, Director of Strategic Roads, Economics and
Statistics, Department for Transport
- Nick Harris, Acting Chief Executive, Highways England
- Mike Wilson, Chief Highways Engineer, Highways England
