Smart motorways... utterly bonkers???

[Silvercatowner]

I get that smart motorways are meant to ease congestion, but surely there isn't the capacity to make them smart enough to actually be safe?? The refuges aren't close enough together, and I don't understand how the traffic will be that closely monitored to be able to close off a lane as soon as someone breaks down or has an accident. The whole thing is deeply scary...

Smart motorways have reduced crashes by huge numbers. The M62 statistics were really huge.

They are an incredibly unsafe and it was an unbelievably stupid decision to bring them in.

Terrifying.

Agreed.

Discussion about them this week on Radio 4 More or Less. Interestingly it seems as though a combination of levelling out traffic stop start speeds and putting the fear of God into drivers through cameras and general uncertainty makes them as safe if not safer than conventional motorways, though I agree with you, the principle of them is scarey and I don’t like driving on them.

@Thehop

Smart motorways have reduced crashes by huge numbers. The M62 statistics were really huge.

I can't find data for that, do you have anything.

All I can find is that this year's report, 2015 onwards, about Smart motorways is pretty equivocal. No big changes, other changes may be partly responsible for any reductions, different types of accident, need for further technology.

The motorways that have been upgraded to smart have proved to be safer following their upgrade.

It depends on the type of smart motorway and the picture is complex. Because the promised stopped vehicle detection systems were not universally installed (for cost reasons), the death rate on ALR (All Lane Running) smart motorways has risen markedly over the last 2 years as more stretches of motorway have been converted. ALR is favoured by the government because it is a cheap way of adding an extra lane - just convert the hard shoulder. However, the evidence is starting to show that without high quality systems in place to rapidly detect vehicles in trouble and dispatch aid, these motorways are more dangerous.

Flex running, where there is signage indicating which lanes are open and which are closed, has been shown to be very safe.

Given that we have a government that is all about cost and not at all about standards, I am not in favour of further expanding the smart motorways programme.

“Overall, the evidence shows that in most ways, smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, conventional motorways, but not in every way.”

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936811/smart-motorway-safety-evidence-stocktake-and-action-plan.pdf

I believe the research found that collisions involving mild injury were slightly higher, but those involving serious injury slightly lower.

Wait till they bump the speed limit to 80 as well.

Thanks for posting that link @ComtesseDeSpair

I think smart motorways are horrendous - I was on the M4 and M5 last month, there are times when it’s unclear whether the hard shoulder is available or not. Also, what are you supposed to do if you break down/have an issue and you’re not immediately near an emergency pull-in bay? I thought the figures showed they have increased deaths, not reduced them?

This has been a concern since smart motorways were first introduced, not sure how many years ago but quite a long time.

As others have posted there's no clear cut evidence to say either way if they are safer

I drive on one several times a month and I don't feel any different safety wise to before it was upgraded. Have you been on one for the first time recently? Tbh I don't think I'd notice whether a motorway was smart or not if it wasn't somewhere I know.

YANBU, the whole concept is utterly terrifying; nowhere safe to stop if you break down and no guarantee that other drivers will notice the lane closed signs, if indeed they get activated at all!

Yanbu there were things saying 10min in a hard should on a motorway was dangerous.
Can you imagine if you broke down in the lane. Trying to get out kids in the back etc.

My dad works at a company that manages motorways and the majority of people that work there think they're really unsafe and hate them.

Yep. Dh broke down in a black van on an unlit bit of the motorway at night.
Utterly terrifying. He had to roll back down a hill in a live lane to the refuge.

The person who signed them off has clearly only driven 6 month old cars and never had a puncture.

@HSHorror

Yanbu there were things saying 10min in a hard should on a motorway was dangerous. Can you imagine if you broke down in the lane. Trying to get out kids in the back etc.

Your packed up for a day out with tiny kids and your dog. Doesn’t bare thinking about does it

I don't mind them but I think it depends where you are. The M3 is ok.

People used to die on hard shoulders too. The real issue is the fact that lorry drivers don't pay attention and plough into the back of cars.

What is a smart motorway ? I don't get it

@jetadore

Wait till they bump the speed limit to 80 as well.

I sincerely hope they won't do that - nobody pays attention to the speed limit as it is.

In fact so engrained is the idea that people don't stick to the speed limits on motorways and it's acceptable was the fact that this morning I was looking at the IAM - for advanced drivers and considering doing the advanced driving test. But then I thought "but I can't drive at more than 70mph on a motorway - how fast would they want me to go" and then I thought, gosh I'm so stupid, you can't go faster than 70 by law. But of course everyone does. The speed limit needs to remain at 70 and be enforced as such.

@everyagehas

What is a smart motorway ? I don't get it

One without a hard shoulder. "Smart" because it has lots of signs and cameras etc.

They scare the life out of me. My car cut out dead the other day when a wrong turn had prevented us being on such a motorway at the time by pure luck. My children have special needs. The what ifs are terrifying.

My job involves a lot of driving. My instructors ( particular type of driving that requires extra instruction and reassessment every year) all say exactly the same, that they are an absolute death trap!

They aren't smart at all.

I hate them and try and avoid as much as I can.