smart motorways

Crash death smart motorway not due for refuge retrofit

11/03/2025

A section of smart motorway where the driver of a stationary vehicle was killed, causing a coroner to raise concerns over the distance between safe places to stop, is not due to have extra emergency refuges retrofitted.

Drivers losing confidence in smart motorways, AA says

07/03/2025

The AA has repeated its call for the return of the hard shoulder across the English motorway network after a new survey suggested that anxiety over smart motorways is increasing.

Smart motorway Red X breaches number tens of thousands

23/07/2024

Red X signs on smart motorways have been ignored more than 53,000 times since camera enforcement began in 2021, according to new research published by a road safety charity.

AA wants parties to back return of hard shoulder

30/05/2024

The AA has called on political parties contesting the General Election to commit to scrapping all smart motorways.

Exclusive: Backroom deal passed failing SVD schemes

29/05/2024

Behind the scenes arrangements between National Highways and its official monitor and a hurried timescale, meant failing stopped vehicle detection schemes were passed into continuous service on smart motorways in contravention of usual testing procedures.

National Highways refuses to disclose smart motorway SVD status

23/04/2024

National Highways has refused to disclose how many of its failing smart motorway safety systems have nevertheless been cleared for permanent operation.

Panorama: Faulty smart motorway tech 'means Russian roulette'

22/04/2024

Technology on smart motorways lost power nearly 400 times over 20 months, according to the BBC.

Call to scrap All Lane Running as smart motorway deaths rise

22/04/2024

Deaths on smart motorways have hit a record high, analysis by the Sunday Times has revealed.

Exclusive: A quarter of smart motorway schemes fall below safety benchmark

16/04/2024

One in four stopped vehicle detection installations on smart motorways still failed to meet National Highways’ core performance requirements when re-tested last year.

National Highways makes push on smart motorway emergency areas

15/04/2024

National Highways has announced plans to install 52 new emergency areas (EAs) on smart motorways in the South East as it faces a battle to meet a promise of 150 by next year.

14-month long major works on M4/M5 open in time for Easter

27/03/2024

Work to improve safety on the M4 and M5 around Bristol is nearly complete, with roadworks on the M4 set to be removed ahead of the Easter getaway, National Highways has said.

Harris: Smart motorway refuge planning 'very advanced'

24/01/2024

National Highways boss Nick Harris has told MPs that the government-owned company has still only retrofitted 13 emergency areas (EAs) on smart motorways but insisted he is ‘confident’ of meeting the target of 150 by next March.

Stopped vehicle detection hits target but 85% of testing data unusable

18/12/2023

National Highways has made significant progress on smart motorway safety according to a new report from the roads monitor however concerns remain about the strength of the underlying testing data.

M56 smart motorway 'positive progress' kept under wraps

29/06/2023

National Highways’ delayed all lane running smart motorway scheme on the M56 is now operating at the national speed limit but the government-owned company has not said what level of performance its stopped vehicle detection has delivered.

M1 smart motorway to get another 12 emergency areas

31/05/2023

National Highways will begin work in June to add 12 emergency areas on an all lane running smart motorway stretch of the M1 in South Yorkshire.

RIS 3: National Highways outlines plans to Government

18/05/2023

A new National Highways report says its will focus on making the most of its existing network with an 'increased focus on smaller £2-25m schemes' but mega projects are set to still dominate RIS 3.

Convert smart motorways to controlled motorways, ITS expert says

16/05/2023

A leading intelligent transport systems (ITS) expert has suggested that all existing smart motorway designs should be converted into controlled motorways.

Coroner calls for action after smart motorway fatality

03/05/2023

A coroner has called on National Highways to take action to prevent future deaths on all lane running smart motorways following the death of a passenger in a car that was hit by a lorry in a live lane.

Emergency area roll-out making slow progress

20/04/2023

National Highways has so far added just 13 more emergency areas (EAs) to all lane running smart motorways but says it is ‘confident’ that it will meet its commitment to add a total of 150 by 2025.

Drivers want hard shoulder back, RAC says

19/04/2023

Seven in 10 drivers want the hard shoulder to be reinstated on the 235 miles of existing all lane running smart motorways, according to new research by the RAC.

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