Motorists using smart motorways in the South East of England will soon have access to 52 new emergency refuge areas. These specially designated stopping points are designed to improve safety by offering vital refuge where permanent hard shoulders are not available.
The M25, London’s busy orbital motorway, will lead the initiative with 24 new orange-painted emergency zones, each approximately 100 metres long. These will be installed across Surrey, Kent, Hertfordshire, and Essex. Other smart motorways set to benefit from the new safety features include the M20, M27, M4, and M3.
Each emergency refuge area will be equipped with an emergency telephone, enabling stranded drivers to quickly and safely call for assistance.
Felicity Clayton from National Highways commented, “We have listened to drivers’ concerns about having more places to stop in an emergency on motorways which don’t have a permanent hard shoulder.” This project forms part of a broader £900 million government investment aimed at improving safety across smart motorways nationwide.
The overall plan includes installing 150 emergency refuge areas across the smart motorway network and providing clear guidance to drivers to help restore confidence in these roads.
Details of the planned emergency refuge areas include:
- 9 emergency areas between Junctions 5 and 7 on the M25
- 15 areas between Junctions 23 and 27 on the M25
- 10 new stops on the M3 from Junction 2 to 4A
- 12 areas on the M4 between Junctions 10 and 12
- 4 on the M20 between Junctions 3 and 5
- 2 new stops on the M27 between Junctions 4 and 11
National Highways has warned that lane closures and 50mph speed limits will be in place during the installation works. These will be coordinated alongside other major upgrades on the M25 near Surrey and Essex junctions.
Drivers are advised to prepare for possible delays, but these improvements are expected to provide safer journeys on some of the country’s busiest roads.
Originally published by UKNIP.
