Smart Motorways protests: National Highways responds
National Highways have issued a response to last week’s protest by the Smart Motorways Kill campaign, amid calls for Department for Transport to release smart motorway impact reports. A National Highways spokesperson said: “Safety is our number one priority, and we’re doing everything in our control to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our network. […]
Coroner makes safety recommendations after smart motorway death
A Coroner is calling for better public understanding of safety on smart motorways, as a report has been published into the death of a woman on the M1. A Prevention of Future Deaths Report looked at the death of 62 year old Nargis Begum who was in a car which broke down on the M1 […]
National Highways defends smart motorway safety
National Highways has responded to recent media reports that state smart motorways have a vehicle breakdown rate ‘nearly three times higher than conventional motorways’. Unlike other roads, smart motorways have technology in place to identify stopped vehicles, including breakdowns, meaning that more breakdowns are identified on smart motorways compared to other road types. These statistics, […]
Report on Smart Motorways outlines National Highways approach to evaluation
In partnership with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), Agilysis has delivered an in-depth review of National Highways’ ongoing evaluation of the Smart Motorway Action Plan, a critical component of the UK’s efforts to enhance safety across the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Following the Department for Transport’s (DfT) 2020 Smart Motorway Safety Evidence Stocktake […]
Widow of man killed on Smart Motorway issues call for action
Campaigner Claire Mercer, whose husband was killed on the M1 near Sheffield in 2019, has appealed for assistance in “ridding” the UK of Smart Motorways. In an emotive letter sent to the UK’s transport media, she calls for a new plan of action to bring about a “quicker end” to Smart Motorways. “The latest Progress […]
National Highways completes smart motorways emergency areas programme
A nationwide programme to construct and install more than 150 additional emergency areas across the motorway network has been completed. A nationwide programme to construct and install more than 150 additional emergency areas across the motorway network has been completed. National Highways began main construction on more emergency areas in June 2023, with the M1 […]
National Highways completes safety upgrades for smart motorways
National Highways has published its fourth and final Smart Motorways Stocktake Progress Report, outlining the completion of key safety initiatives and providing updated analysis on smart motorway performance. The report confirmed that all 2020 stocktake actions have been implemented, including the installation of radar-based Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) technology on all All Lane Running (ALR) motorways. […]
ORR issues SRN safety performance update
The Deputy Director, Strategic Road Network at the Office of Rail and Road has issued a blog post detailing an assessment assess of National Highways’ performance against a range of government set targets that it should deliver over the second road period. Rachel Gittens looked at the latest statistics to do with RP2, which runs […]
National Highways explains position on smart motorways emergency areas
National Highways has clarified its policy after The Sunday Telegraph reported on the organisation’s actions to support drivers exit emergency areas (EA) on smart motorways. “Campaigners claim National Highways are no longer closing the nearside lane to traffic to help motorists safely leave these areas to rejoin the motorway,” said the NH response. “In fact, […]
Record number of drivers caught ignoring Red X signs on smart motorways
More than 53,000 motorists have been caught by police enforcement cameras disobeying Red X signs on smart motorways since 2021, according to new research conducted by the UK’s leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart. Analysed data gathered through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to police forces in England reveals that in 2021, nine police […]