RAC pushes for hard shoulder reinstatement as Smart Motorway plans hit the brakes

Seven out of ten UK drivers want the hard shoulder to be reinstated on the 235 miles of existing all-lane-running smart motorways, regardless of the Government claiming yesterday it would be too disruptive and costly, the RAC has said.

Some 14 planned schemes, including 11 already on pause and three down for construction, will be scrapped due to a lack of public confidence and finances, the UK government has announced.

A section of M56 near Manchester Airport has recently opened, and work will continue to complete the project through to the summer.

The RAC believes this week’s decision to scrap 14 all-lane-running schemes needs to be quickly followed by the reinstatement of hard shoulders, as this is clearly what a majority of drivers are expecting.

“Anything less will be seen as a poor excuse which could lead to more lives being needlessly lost on these controversial motorways, with just 31% of drivers saying the hard shoulder should not be restored,” the RAC has said.

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams expressed his concern that by the end of this year, there would still be 250 miles of motorway in England without hard shoulders, equating to roughly 13% of the entire network.

He acknowledged that installing additional refuge areas and radar technology to help spot stricken vehicles is a welcome and necessary step, but it does not go far enough for most drivers.

Mr Williams countered the government’s claims that reinstating hard shoulders would be too expensive and disruptive by pointing out that the cancellation of future smart motorway schemes is saving the government over £1 billion.

He urged the government to reinstate hard shoulders on all stretches of road where they have been converted into a permanent fourth lane and to monitor the impact on congestion.

One option proposed by the RAC is to convert as many all-lane-running stretches as possible into dynamic hard shoulder schemes, similar to those on parts of the M42, M4, and M5.

‘Dynamic hard shoulder’ running involves opening the hard shoulder as a running lane to traffic at busy periods to ease congestion.

On these stretches, a solid white line differentiates the hard shoulder from the normal carriageway. Overhead signs on gantries indicate whether the hard shoulder is open to traffic.

Mr Williams said: “These roads have a good safety record and the backing of as many as seven-in-10 drivers, according to our research.”

“If the overhead red-X sign was illuminated whenever the hard shoulder was closed, this could also help make these roads even safer.”

“Whatever action the Government decides to take, the status quo – where we still have hundreds of miles of motorway without hard shoulders – simply isn’t sustainable.”

He said: “Longer term, a hotch-potch of different motorway schemes, some with hard shoulders and some without, surely isn’t the answer either.”