Smart motorways - Government decision

[crankedup5]

If you were expecting smart motorways to be abandoned following reports of fatal accidents in the so called 4th lane you are going to be disappointed. It has been decided that the ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ will be scrapped amid safety concerns. Do not despair however, we are promised that extra and faster tech’ will be introduced that will close a live lane in the event that you should breakdown.

[krisdelta]

Ah, the well known cure of magical future beans. I feel safer already.

[crankedup5]

Yup, although I am a enthusiast of improving tech’ when it comes to life saving on motorways, not so much. The old hard shoulder so much safer to be stuck on.

[Frimley111R]

AFAIK didn't the trial go well but when they implemented them they put the bays far further apart, hence all the issues (deaths). I bet no-one will be putting themselves up as a scapegoat for that decision!

[Biggy Stardust]

Better that people should die in the future than someone in power have to admit to a mistake in the past.

[crankedup5]

I assume that transport Minister Grant Shapps will be hopping the news will be ‘buried’. Bloody terrible decision imo.

[Earthdweller]

UK GOV said:

Until faster technology can be rolled out to enable a swifter and more effective response to incidents or stranded vehicles in live lanes a decision has been taken to reduce the speed permitted on smart motorway sections to a blanket 24hr 30 mph limit

This will be enforced by the current camera network that was, fortunately, set up for revenue collection rather than road safety

The benefits of these changes will go beyond road safety and ensure that air pollution is reduced and help the U.K. to achieve a carbon neutral future

[andy43]

Earthdweller said:

UK GOV said:

Until faster technology can be rolled out to enable a swifter and more effective response to incidents or stranded vehicles in live lanes a decision has been taken to reduce the speed permitted on smart motorway sections to a blanket 24hr 30 mph limit

This will be enforced by the current camera network that was, fortunately, set up for revenue collection rather than road safety

The benefits of these changes will go beyond road safety and ensure that air pollution is reduced and help the U.K. to achieve a carbon neutral future

That wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

[prand]

Earthdweller said:

UK GOV said:

Until faster technology can be rolled out to enable a swifter and more effective response to incidents or stranded vehicles in live lanes a decision has been taken to reduce the speed permitted on smart motorway sections to a blanket 24hr 30 mph limit

This will be enforced by the current camera network that was, fortunately, set up for revenue collection rather than road safety

The benefits of these changes will go beyond road safety and ensure that air pollution is reduced and help the U.K. to achieve a carbon neutral future

Jesus don't even joke please. I'm utterly flabbergasted by this news. The M4 works were kicked off knowing this was in the pipeline, but they continued regardless. So they've gone to the trouble of widening lord knows how many bridges and given us a few years of misery on local roads, on speed restrictions and weekend closures on the motorway for what exactly?

I thought that infrastructure projects are supposed to drive economic growth, but this nationwide programme just seems to have been to hand money over to construction companies to mess about with what was already there, install some unworkable technical gubbins that I gather is not automated or manned, not at all that "smart", frustrate drivers (It used to add over 30 mins to my drive to Leeds when the M1 was being done) and above all, kill stranded motorists.

Not happy at all....

[crankedup5]

I had the misfortune to have my car breakdown leaving me stranded in the nearside lane of a major dual carriageway (A14). An extremely unsettling event and not one I hope will be repeated any time soon. The thought of that breakdown occurring on a motorway is utterly terrifying to me. Bad decision by this Government.

[Fundoreen]

The introduction of smart motorways was the usual cynical move. A lot of people must have known it would be dangerous but there's more money to be made later on adding new improved safety features.

[rfsteel]

Looks like the Gov have know for a while as the M23 has works starting in 4 week for "camera installation works"

[Muddle238]

crankedup5 said:

If you were expecting smart motorways to be abandoned following reports of fatal accidents in the so called 4th lane you are going to be disappointed. It has been decided that the ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ will be scrapped amid safety concerns. Do not despair however, we are promised that extra and faster tech’ will be introduced that will close a live lane in the event that you should breakdown.

Can someone please expand on this, as it doesn’t make sense to me...

Does it mean the dynamic aspect of the hard shoulder will be scrapped meaning that just a conventional hard shoulder remains, or does it mean the hard shoulder in its entirety will be scrapped?

[crankedup5]

Muddle238 said:

crankedup5 said:

If you were expecting smart motorways to be abandoned following reports of fatal accidents in the so called 4th lane you are going to be disappointed. It has been decided that the ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ will be scrapped amid safety concerns. Do not despair however, we are promised that extra and faster tech’ will be introduced that will close a live lane in the event that you should breakdown.

Can someone please expand on this, as it doesn’t make sense to me...

Does it mean the dynamic aspect of the hard shoulder will be scrapped meaning that just a conventional hard shoulder remains, or does it mean the hard shoulder in its entirety will be scrapped?

It doesn’t make sense to anybody else either, it’s a Government fudge to escape responsibility of bad planning.,

[sim72]

crankedup5 said:

If you were expecting smart motorways to be abandoned following reports of fatal accidents in the so called 4th lane you are going to be disappointed. It has been decided that the ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ will be scrapped amid safety concerns. Do not despair however, we are promised that extra and faster tech’ will be introduced that will close a live lane in the event that you should breakdown.

Ironic, really, because on my commute the dynamic hard shoulder between J8 and J9 of the M6 actually works really well (when someone in control can be bothered to switch it on). When it's switched off it makes the whole of the M5 and M6 merge into three lanes rather than four, with predictable consequences.

[Solocle]

sim72 said:

Ironic, really, because on my commute the dynamic hard shoulder between J8 and J9 of the M6 actually works really well (when someone in control can be bothered to switch it on). When it's switched off it makes the whole of the M5 and M6 merge into three lanes rather than four, with predictable consequences.

Yep, I'd have thought that DHSR would be sensible. When traffic is free-flowing at high speeds, you have a hard shoulder. When it's congested and trundling along, you open up the hard shoulder, as a broken down vehicle is less of a hazard.

Either shoddy implementation, or loads of people who don't understand what a red X means. Knowing this country, probably both!

[Muddle238]

sim72 said:

Ironic, really, because on my commute the dynamic hard shoulder between J8 and J9 of the M6 actually works really well (when someone in control can be bothered to switch it on). When it's switched off it makes the whole of the M5 and M6 merge into three lanes rather than four, with predictable consequences.

That’s a dreadful bit of road, or rather, sees some dreadful driving. A lot of drivers joining from the M5 immediately push their way out to L3 of the M6 despite heavy congestion, others sail up the hard shoulder for J9 despite the mahoosive illuminated signs saying “Hard shoulder for emergency use only”, it’s an absolute stefest. Two motorways merging and two additional junctions within a short space, one of which being for a massive retail park, combine with Birmingham drivers and it makes the Toll worth every penny!

[Condi]

Unfortunately a camera issuing fines 2 weeks later is not going to stop someone not concentrating hitting the car today.

[Not-The-Messiah]

The biggest problem is the problem with motorways in general no one is taught how to drive on them.

Its when you hear the stories of the accidents its always "the person was sat in the vehicle", Why? get out as fast as you can and get off the motorway. And that's before I start about why the fk they stopped in the road in the first place and not got to an emergency laybuy. I cant think of many reasons apart from a wheel falling off that would stop you from rolling to one if traveling at 60+ mph.