ORR report on All Lane Running finds no errors were made in the calculations and comparisons about relative safety
No errors have been found in the underlying calculations and the comparisons about the relative safety of All Lane Running motorways and these were made in an appropriate way, said an independent report by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The report, commissioned by Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, follows a Progress Report […]
Whistleblower claims smart motorway system failure
It’s been claimed that computer systems controlling signs on smart motorways crashed three times in four days, meaning signs across hundreds of miles of motorway could not be changed. The Sunday Telegraph spoke to a member of staff at National Highways (formerly Highways England) who said the system failed in April and that a Freedom […]
Highways England apologises for delays caused by “technical fault”
Highways England has said sorry to drivers stuck in a traffic jam on a stretch of the M62 in West Yorkshire because signs incorrectly told them three lanes were shut. The signs did not turn off after overnight roadworks were carried out between Huddersfield and Brighouse so only one lane was open. “#M62 westbound J27 […]
Roads minister concedes work is needed to convince drivers of smart motorway safety
The Roads Minister Baroness Vere has told a committee of MPs that there is a “gap” between how roads authorities and the public see the safety of smart motorways. She told the Commons’ Transport Select Committee that the Department for Transport and Highways England have been working very hard to close the difference in public […]
Ex-vicar’s legal threat casts doubt on smart motorways
Highways England is reported to have paused plans to turn the M62 across the Pennines into a smart motorway. The Times says a retired vicar’s threat of legal action has “stymied proposals” for 19 miles of smart motorway and raised new doubts over the future of the scheme. It says Mark Coleman, from Rochdale in […]
Smart Motorway Alliance on the search for local businesses and SMEs across the country to support programme of improvements
The Smart Motorway Alliance is calling on local businesses and small medium enterprise (SME) across the country to get involved in a programme of improvements and enhancements for England’s motorways. The Alliance is actively seeking registrations for its SME directory, a database of local businesses and their specialisms. This database will be used both by […]
Smart motorways are safe ‘in most ways’ as, or safer than, conventional ones, but not in every way, says HE
Smart motorways are in ‘most ways’ safe as or safer than the conventional ones-but not in every way, according to Highways England. The organisation also said as part of its smart-motorways-stocktake-first-year-progress-report-2021, that converting parts of smart motorways back to a hard shoulder, would reduce their capacity by a quarter. “The resulting congestion on the motorways […]
M25 driver caught ignoring red ‘X’ sign loses court battle
A driver has been ordered to pay nearly £1,000 in fines and costs after losing a court battle to overturn a fixed penalty notice for driving under a red X on the M25 in 2018. SaferHighways.co.uk reports they were among nearly 300 drivers who were spotted travelling in closed lanes while Police dealt with a […]
Shapps asks ORR to confirm evidence for ‘relative safety’ of smart motorways
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has asked the Office of Rail and Road to confirm the evidence base for the ‘relative safety’ of All Lane Running (ALR) motorways. The move comes after Mr Shapps spoke to the House of Commons yesterday following the publication of Highways England’s smart motorway stocktake first year progress report. The report […]
Shapps assessing HE’s all-lane running report
The Transport Secretary has revealed he is assessing a report from Highways England about the safety of all-lane running motorway schemes, which is now being assessed. Grant Shapps has released a statement about it, repeated in full below: Since becoming Secretary of State for Transport, I have shared the concerns of many regarding All Lane […]
