HE “working hard” on smart motorway concerns
Highways England has responded to concerns about the safety of smart motorways by insisting that in most ways they are as safe, or safer, than conventional ones. Over the last week a coroner and Police and Crime Commissioner have both questioned the use of the hard shoulder as a running lane, in reaction to the […]
First Bus retrofits 1,000th vehicle to reduce emissions
First Bus has announced it’s completed the refit of 1,000 buses across its UK network with new exhaust systems and e-Fans to comply with Euro VI emission requirements. It says the £16m retrofitting programme has been successfully delivered in partnership with the Joint Air Quality Unit of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs […]
Wolverhampton highways getting technology upgrade
Nearly 28,000 street lights are to be converted to LED while new VMS signs and 5G-enabled speed cameras will be installed in a major upgrade of transport in Wolverhampton. The Birmingham Mail reports that the move is part of a series of low-carbon projects aimed at saving costs and improving facilities in the city using […]
South Yorkshire Police Chief calls for end of smart motorways
The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire has written an open letter to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, and Highways England, calling for smart motorways to be abandoned “before more lives are lost”. Dr Alan Billings wants all-lane-running stretches such as that along part of the M1 past Sheffield to have the hard shoulder […]
TfL boss warns it’ll need two years of bailouts
The Commissioner of Transport for London says that it’ll require at least two years of government support, even if it cuts costs, thanks to the effect of Coronavirus and the lockdown. Andy Byford has told BBC’s Politics London that it “absolutely” will require a subsidy for the next two years. “Obviously, we will do our […]
UK could be the first country to allow hands-free driving
The Transport Secretary is considering allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel on motorways, and let the car stick to the lane and keep a distance from the car in front. The Times reports that Grant Shapps could allow the change by the summer which it says will mean drivers could watch a […]
HE should “maximise safety of smart motorways” – Lawyer
A leading personal injuries lawyer has told Highways News he does not think that Highways England is at risk of being found guilty of corporate manslaughter over deaths on a smart motorway, but that the government-owned company will need to consider the issues and determine if anything further can be done to maximise the safety […]
A420 junction improvement work contract awarded
Dyer & Butler, a part of M Group Services, has been appointed to deliver improvement works at the Gablecross junction of the A420 on behalf of Swindon Borough Council. The improvement scheme is designed to reduce peak time delays and journey times along the A420 through Gablecross Junction, and provide additional capacity to accommodate future […]
More drivers than ever plan to ‘go electric’ when they next change their cars
Nearly eight-in-10 drivers think that pure electric cars are still too expensive when compared to conventional vehicles of a similar size, but a steadily increasing proportion are planning to choose one when they next change their car. Research from the latest RAC Report on Motoring suggests 9% of the 3,000 respondents to the study said […]
London’s Streetspace initiative ruled unlawful
London’s Streetspace scheme has been ruled unlawful by the High Court, because it disadvantaged taxi drivers. Streetspace was designed to create more space for people to safely walk, cycle, scoot or wheel when the coronavirus crisis hit, with temporary cycle lanes and wider pavements among the changes made. However London’s financial paper City AM reports […]