Who invented smart motorways?
THE UK government outlined its plans to get rid of controversial smart motorways in a announcement in April 2023.
Here, we look at when smart motorways were invented, and why they have been criticised.
Who invented smart motorways and why were they introduced?
Smart Motorways were first introduced by Highways England - a government-owned company.
According to the RAC, their objective was “to manage traffic in a way that minimised environmental impact, cost and time to construct by avoiding the need to build additional lanes.”
A series of Governments considered the concept desirable and began trials along 14 miles of the M25 in 1995.
Following initial success, it was soon expanded to cover hundreds more miles of motorway across the country from the 2000s onwards.
READ MORE ON MOTORWAYS
Smart motorway’s now fall into three main categroies:
- All lane running (ARL)
- Controlled
- Dynamic hard shoulder.
ARL means there are sections of motorway that do not have a hard shoulder, instead motorists must rely on Emergency Refuge Areas.
Smart motorways typically use technology to manage the flow of traffic during busy times - for instance, by varying the speed limit.
Most read in Motors
Controlled sections of motorway use technology to manage the flow of traffic during busy times.
Operators can vary the speed limit - with lit signs on overhead gantries - with the aim of reducing the frustrating stop-start driving conditions that often occur on normal roads.
Meanwhile, dynamic hard shoulder motorways can also increase capacity of the road by opening up the hard shoulder at busy times.
Where was the first smart motorway?
The first smart motorway scheme was used on the M42 in 2006 as official trials began on their safety and effectiveness.
The then-transport secretary, Ruth Kelly, introduced the plans to extend this scheme to two sections of the M6 in Birmingham.
"The safety fears that some people have haven't materialised at all and, not only that, it's good for the economy and the environment too."
By 2010 a £2 billion contract was announced to bring the “really impressive” techniques to the M1, M4, M5, M6, M60 and M62.
And by 2013 the so called smart motorways were being coined by the Highways Agency to promote the technology to road users.
Are smart motorways dangerous?
As of January 2022, the Government has continued to describe smart motorways as "among the safest roads in the UK" even as it decides to halt rollout plans due to safety concerns.
There have been at least 38 deaths on smart motorways since their introduction in the UK, although the figure is likely to be higher.
In fact, the fatality rate on so-called smart motorways is up to a third higher than that of conventional highways with hard shoulders, officials figures reveal.
And last year, the Sun revealed that the motorways are considered so dangerous the AA won't let breakdown crews stop on them.
Near-misses on one stretch of the reconfigured M25 outside London rose 20-fold to 1,485 in the five years since the hard shoulder was taken away.
Are smart motorways being scrapped?
The UK government announced on April 15, 2023, that the construction of new smart motorways would be banned.
Fourteen motorways that were in government planning have been scrapped following the announcement.
The axing came after concerns were raised about funding and safety.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Existing smart motorways will remain, but will be subject to a safety refit so that there are more areas that drivers can stop.
The government announced that junctions six to eight of the M56 and junctions 21a to 26 of the M6 will still be finished, as they are already over three quarters complete.