- Plans for new smart motorways will be cancelled in
recognition of the current lack of public confidence felt by
drivers and cost pressures
- Smart motorways earmarked for construction during the third
Road Investment Strategy (2025-2030) and previously paused
schemes will now not go ahead
- Existing smart motorways will continue to benefit from £900
million safety improvements
Plans for new smart motorways will be cancelled, delivering on
the Prime Minister’s summer campaign pledge.
New smart motorways, including the 11 already paused from the
second Road Investment Strategy (2020-2025) and the three
earmarked for construction during the third Road Investment
Strategy (2025-30) will be removed from Government road building
plans, given financial pressures and in recognition of the
current lack of public confidence felt by drivers.
Initial estimations suggest constructing future smart motorway
schemes would have cost more than £1 billion and cancelling these
schemes will allow more time to track public confidence in smart
motorways over a longer period.
Prime Minister said:
“All drivers deserve to have confidence in the roads they use to
get around the country.
“That’s why last year I pledged to stop the building of all new
smart motorways, and today I’m making good on that promise.
“Many people across the country rely on driving to get to work,
to take their children to school and go about their daily lives
and I want them to be able to do so with full confidence that the
roads they drive on are safe.”
Transport Secretary said:
“We want the public to know that this Government is listening to
their concerns.
“Today’s announcement means no new smart motorways will be built,
recognising the lack of public confidence felt by drivers and the
cost pressures due to inflation.”
Independent road safety campaigner, Meera Naran,
whose 8-year-old son Dev, died in a motorway collision on
the M6 in 2018, said:
“Since successfully campaigning for the 18- point action plan,
£900m commitment and the pause in the roll out in January 2022,
there has been a lot of joined up thinking in mutually coming to
this decision.
“I thank Ministers and Executives for inviting me to work
alongside them in memory of Dev, towards a mutual goal and for
their commitment over the years.”
The Government and National Highways continues to invest £900
million in further safety improvements on existing smart
motorways.
This includes progressing plans on installing 150 extra emergency
areas across the network in line with the commitments made in
response to the Transport Select Committee, as well as further
improving the performance of stopped vehicle detection technology
on every all lane running smart motorway.
The Government will also continue to give motorists clear advice
when using existing smart motorways.
While no new stretches of road will be converted into smart
motorways, the M56 J6-8 and M6 J21a-26 will be completed given
they are already over three quarters constructed.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The following schemes have been cancelled.
RIS2 (2020-2025) paused schemes
New all lane running smart motorways:
M3 J9–14
M40/M42 interchange
M62 J20–25
M25 J10–16
Dynamic hard shoulder to all lane running conversions:
M1 Junction 10 - 13
M4 - M5 interchange (M4 Junction 19 - 20 and M5 Junction 15 –
17)
M6 Junction 4 - 5
M6 Junction 5 - 8
M6 Junction 8 - 10a
M42 Junction 3a - 7
M62 Junction 25 – 30
RIS3 (2025-30) pipeline schemes
M1 North Leicestershire
M1 junctions 35A – 39 Sheffield to Wakefield
M6 junctions 19 – 21A Knutsford to Croft
