Highways England is planning to run a £5 million TV campaign educating drivers about smart motorways.
The Telegraph reports that the Department for Transport explains that the campaign will “improve people’s confidence in using all types of motorways, including what to do in the event of a breakdown in a live lane.”
This news follows comments by the coroner at an inquest into the deaths of two people on the M1 smart motorway near Sheffield who said it was a “sad indictment” the public had not been educated about smart motorways which “present an ongoing risk of future deaths”.
He added that “as soon as the Transport Secretary took office he recognised the concerns around smart motorway safety” and demanded an urgent “stocktake of the evidence”.
The TV campaign was meant to have already started, but the Telegraph understands a decision was made to delay it because of concerns it could undermine the Government’s overall message that travel should be avoided during lockdown.
The debate about the safety of smart motorways has been reignited in the mainstream media after the inquest. Highways News co-owner Paul Hutton gave his views on BBC radio – listen below.
The debate about the safety of smart motorways has been reignited in the mainstream media after the inquest. Highways News co-owner Paul Hutton gave his views on BBC radio – listen below.
(Picture – Highways News)
