Smart Motorways: Reinstate the Hard Shoulder?
Smart motorways: Majority of Drivers Favor Reinstating Hard Shoulders Despite Government Opposition
A recent poll reveals that seven in 10 drivers advocate for the reinstatement of hard shoulders on existing smart motorways across the UK. This sentiment comes in the wake of the government’s decision to halt all new smart motorway projects.
Smart motorways, which repurpose hard shoulders into live traffic lanes, have faced criticism due to concerns over safety, particularly for drivers stranded without a proper refuge area. Despite government assertions that reverting to traditional road layouts would be disruptive and costly, the survey underscores a strong preference among motorists for the restoration of hard shoulders.
Following the government’s announcement of the cessation of new smart motorway initiatives, the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), which conducted the survey, emphasized that anything short of a full reinstatement of hard shoulders would be deemed insufficient and potentially hazardous.
While the government plans to allocate £900 million for additional emergency refuge areas and enhanced vehicle detection systems, the RAC contends that these measures fall short of addressing the fundamental safety concerns posed by smart motorways. Simon Williams, RAC’s road safety spokesman, asserts that the absence of hard shoulders leaves drivers vulnerable and underscores the necessity of their restoration.
Williams suggests that one potential solution could be the adoption of dynamic hard shoulder schemes, as seen on certain motorway sections, which dynamically allocate the hard shoulder as either a traffic lane or an emergency refuge area depending on traffic conditions.
Echoing these sentiments, the Automobile Association (AA) calls for the restoration of hard shoulders on existing smart motorways, highlighting the simplicity of such a task and emphasizing the importance of prioritizing road safety.
In essence, while the debate continues over the future of smart motorways, driver safety remains a paramount concern, prompting calls for decisive action to address existing safety shortcomings.
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