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 […]
Labour promises smart motorway review if it forms next government
The Labour party is reported to have “has “watered down” a previous plan to scrap smart motorways. The Daily Telegraph says the party will instead carry out a “review” of the roads if it wins the general election. The report says the party has previously called on the Government to restore hard shoulders to smart […]
Chris Grayling on his experiences as Transport Secretary on this week’s Highways Voices
“Don’t try and talk to the politicians – the truth is actually having good relations with… politicians will have very little impact on the actual decisions government takes,” explains former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling on this week’s Highways Voices. He joined an ITS UK meeting last week and was interviewed by Highways Voices host Paul […]
National Highways responds to BBC Panorama’s “out of context” Smart Motorways episode
National Highways have issued a strongly worded statement in response to the airing of the BBC’s Smart Motorways: When Technology Fails episode of its long-running Panorama programme. The full, comprehensive statement can be read here but below is a brief summary of their feeling that the programme missed out several instances of “contextual” detail. “BBC […]
National Highways defends smart motorways after tech failures
National Highways has defended the safety record of so-called smart motorways after claims technology supposed to keep drivers safe fails regularly. Figures obtained by Panorama revealed hundreds of incidents when crucial safety equipment was out of action, leaving vehicles stranded in fast-flowing traffic. Furthermore, a traffic officer who works on the network told the programme […]
BBC Panorama to feature Smart Motorways
Tonight’s episode of the BBC’s Panorama programme will focus on the UK’s Smart Motorways programme with the title: “When Technology Fails”. “The government says new technology will make existing stretches of smart motorway safe. But what happens when the technology doesn’t work? Reporter Richard Bilton investigates,” says the BBC. For those able to watch the […]
RAC calls for big changes to smart motorways
The RAC is suggesting that smart motorways should only be all-lane running during busy periods, or for hard shoulders to be reinstated across the motorway network. Reacting to news that 52 more refuge areas are being installed across the southeast, the motoring club’s head of policy Simon Williams said that, ten years on from the […]
Tony Slater: Smart Highways Programme Alliance MD to step down
The head of National Highways’ Smart Highways Programme Alliance, Tony Slater, is stepping down from the role, fuelling speculation that NH are considering winding up the Alliance in the wake of the decision to curtail the Smart motorway programme over safety fears, Construction Enquirer is reporting. Slater, who is to take up a senior position […]
Newspapers blame smart motorway glitch for six-car crash
It’s being reported a crash on the M6 near Coventry last month happened when the entire safety monitoring system had gone down. A whistleblower, speaking anonymously, told the Telegraph newspaper National Highways’ systems crashed, disabling stopped vehicle detection radar and leaving control room staff unable to close lanes to traffic, set speed limits and electronic […]
