No more "Dynamic Smart Motorways"

[Haltamer]

https://news.sky.com/story/end-of-dynamic-smart-mo...

One I'm sure many will be happy to see!

Unsuprisingly, They're too hard for most people to use...

[SidewaysSi]

People in government tend to be really quite daft. The amount of wasted cash beggars belief.

Some inexperienced person who probably can't drive making these decisions..

[hyphen]

The highways boss needs firing. Anyone who has half a brain wouldn't need to wait this long to discover the obvious.

[2gins]

I was about to quip that I'll look forward to the immediate removal of works from the M4 but then read all the article and noted the permanent all lane running managed motorways are continuing, this is just about the kind where the hard shoulder is sometimes on, sometimes off depending on traffic levels.

Balls

[Mr Tidy]

I'm with 2gins on this - shame I won't be getting a hard shoulder back on the M3.

[Flumpo]

Having had the misfortune of having to deal with highways England, I’m still amazed how very few of their ‘engineers’ drive.

I think that is part of the problem, how can you go to university to learn highways engineering and not drive. It’s all computer models and they refuse to accept or consider anything else.

[dxg]

I wonder what the implications for the planned expressways are - smart motorways in all but name:

"Phase 3: introduction of technology and operational changes, including Traffic Officer patrol and emergency areas. A scheme may designate as a motorway and prohibit vulnerable road users and slow-moving vehicles if appropriate alternative provision is available, and there are appropriate terminal points."

[Haltamer]

dxg said:

"Phase 3: introduction of technology and operational changes, including Traffic Officer patrol and emergency areas. A scheme may designate as a motorway and prohibit vulnerable road users and slow-moving vehicles if appropriate alternative provision is available, and there are appropriate terminal points."

Expressways did give me some hope; But in review they're not much more than DC A Roads of reasonable standard where slow moving traffic is verboten.

One thing I wonder; If they're not tearing them down, what will they be doing with the existing dynamic roads? By their own admission, they are not used correctly, but they were also implemented due to an identified need for capacity increase.

Do they stop running in the hard shoulder all together, to make it simple, at the expense of underutilised capacity, or

Make the hard shoulder always open, and desegregate by changing markings to regular lane lines, a-la all lane running deathtrap?

Or, Even better, keep using them as they are so some major motorways are magical exceptions to the rule, which will confuse all drivers ad infinitum?

[Cold]

They're still building the smart stretch of the M27. I wonder whether it will cheaper/simpler to return the works back to standard or push on constructing the system that drivers don't understand.

[havoc]

SidewaysSi said:

People in government tend to be really quite daft. The amount of wasted cash beggars belief.

Some inexperienced person who probably can't drive making these decisions..

Google Bike-Shedding.

Then google pretty much anything by Parkinson. In particular his comments regarding bureaucracy and how it multiplies as a self-preservation mechanism.

Then realise that the UK has had government bureaucracy for longer than most other nations, so we've had plenty of time to perfect it...

[xjay1337]

Haltamer said:

https://news.sky.com/story/end-of-dynamic-smart-mo...

One I'm sure many will be happy to see!

Unsuprisingly, They're too hard for most people to use...

I mean, I like the idea of smart motorways.
Assuming people aren't complete inbred morons.

Unfortunately, it seems like people are complete inbred morons.

[RemyMartin81D]

So is the M27 being canned?

[DanielSan]

Another huge pile of cash pissed up the wall then... Clearly no one who makes decisions on schemes like this actually drives any sort of distance on roads

[The Li-ion King]

Haltamer said:

dxg said:

"Phase 3: introduction of technology and operational changes, including Traffic Officer patrol and emergency areas. A scheme may designate as a motorway and prohibit vulnerable road users and slow-moving vehicles if appropriate alternative provision is available, and there are appropriate terminal points."

Expressways did give me some hope; But in review they're not much more than DC A Roads of reasonable standard where slow moving traffic is verboten.

One thing I wonder; If they're not tearing them down, what will they be doing with the existing dynamic roads? By their own admission, they are not used correctly, but they were also implemented due to an identified need for capacity increase.

Do they stop running in the hard shoulder all together, to make it simple, at the expense of underutilised capacity, or

Make the hard shoulder always open, and desegregate by changing markings to regular lane lines, a-la all lane running deathtrap?

Or, Even better, keep using them as they are so some major motorways are magical exceptions to the rule, which will confuse all drivers ad infinitum?

They seem to be on a roll with these hare brained schemes... Let's see them deal with simple stuff like potholes first, before getting themselves caught up with something expensive and stupid. On the back of green numberplates for electric cars, this is another gem from the government

[Welshbeef]

The Li-ion King said:

They seem to be on a roll with these hare brained schemes... Let's see them deal with simple stuff like potholes first, before getting themselves caught up with something expensive and stupid. On the back of green numberplates for electric cars, this is another gem from the government

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.alphr.com/cars/1008529/smart-motorways-UK-what-where%3famp

I’m assuming that was a dog at Torys? Labour commenced them then coalition Tory and Libs did more money have been approved strictly on Tory govt time.

[chow pan toon]

Too complicated?! We really are a country of thickos.

[227bhp]

chow pan toon said:

Too complicated?! We really are a country of thickos.

You do wonder if this is 'throwing the baby out with the bath water' in some respect as people have to learn how to use them and it'll take a while, but the lack of hard shoulder is worrying and has caused deaths. I think your answer would be different if you'd had a close relative or loved one grind to a halt and be arse ended by a 40 ton truck because they had no-where to go.
The current snowflake gen don't even know how to use a dipstick, let alone drive on a Smart motorway.

[Glasgowrob]

simple solution

hard hitting campaign against those who run red Xs

make it an instant 2 year ban

caught a second time 10 years

[Second Best]

227bhp said:

The current snowflake gen don't even know how to use a dipstick, let alone drive on a Smart motorway.

No, it's more the old dinosaurs who think anything with a screen is too new for them, and say stupid st like this:

old baby boomer fossil said:

He added: "I would prefer to break down in the live lane of a managed motorway or a smart motorway than I would prefer to break down on a live lane on a conventional motorway or on a dual carriageway."

[Agammemnon]

Glasgowrob said:

simple solution

hard hitting campaign against those who run red Xs