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 […]
HE and Transport Secretary disagree on red lights for recovery vehicles
It’s being reported Highways England is objecting to calls for roadside recovery vehicles to use red flashing lights on their vehicles. The Telegraph says Transport Secretary Grant Shapps privately backs allowing breakdown vehicles to use red lights, rather than the conventional orange ones, as safety measure for recovery staff. The report says MPs and campaigners […]
HE launches biggest ever motorway safety campaign
Highways England has launched a new campaign, “If you break down – go left!” in an attempt to help drivers feel safer on the country’s motorways. In a multi-million pound public information drive the company says it’s giving motorists clear advice about what to do in an emergency. It points out that millions of journeys […]
Transport Committee to investigate the roll-out and safety of Smart Motorways
The House of Commons Transport Select Committee is to investigate the benefits and safety of Smart Motorways in a new inquiry, launching today (Friday 26 February). MPs will also consider their impact on reducing congestion on busy sections of motorway and other roads in the strategic road network. Campaigners against Smart Motorways have called for […]