The RAC has criticised smart motorways and demanded the return of hard shoulders, warning that these roads continue to be a serious safety risk for drivers.
In a move reflecting safety concerns, Chancellor Rishi Sunak halted all future smart motorway projects a year ago, citing budget constraints and low public confidence in the scheme. Despite this, many existing “all lane running” (ALR) motorways still operate without hard shoulders, raising alarms about driver safety.
Smart motorways were introduced to increase road capacity by converting hard shoulders into permanent live lanes. However, vehicles that break down in these lanes have been struck multiple times, resulting in fatal crashes.
Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said: “Despite investment in radar technology and emergency refuge areas, safety concerns remain. We must rethink these road layouts.”
The RAC is urging that existing ALR motorways be converted into dynamic hard shoulder schemes—where the hard shoulder is only open during peak hours—or have hard shoulders fully reinstated by repainting white lines.
A December report by National Highways found that smart motorways without hard shoulders are three times more dangerous for breakdowns. Alarmingly, incidents causing “killed and serious injury” are 10% higher on these sections compared to traditional motorways.
Several dangerous hotspots on the M1, M25, and M6 have seen an increase in fatal accidents since the removal of hard shoulders. While new smart motorway construction is currently paused, existing stretches without hard shoulders remain operational, keeping drivers concerned about their safety.
The Department for Transport has stated that safety is now the top priority in managing these roads.
As discussions continue about the future of smart motorways, there is broad agreement that increasing road capacity must not come at the expense of driver safety. The message from the RAC and safety advocates is clear: hard shoulders must be reinstated before more lives are lost.
Originally published by UKNIP.
