First new smart motorway emergency area trialled on M3 after hard shoulder danger warnings
A NEW orange emergency lay-by is being trialled on smart motorways in a bid to improve safety.
It's part of a Highways England review into smart motorways after it was revealed drivers didn't understand emergency refuge areas and traffic could actually be worse with all-lane running.
The trial on a stretch of the M3 near Camberley is aimed at improving visibility and making it clearer the areas are for emergency use only.
More upgrades are expected to follow if it proves successful with a full report on the spacing of the areas due to be completed in the autumn.
Smart motorways feature refuge areas, no permanent hard shoulder and also overhead gantries displaying lane closures and variable speed limits.
Refuge areas are currently spaced every 1.5 miles (2.5km) and offer a place to stop in the event of an emergency – like a breakdown - but this has been criticised as too far by experts.
And drivers are also wrongly using them as places to park up for rest breaks, toilet stops and making calls.
Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England chief executive, said: “We know smart motorways are safe. But we also recognise that drivers need to have confidence when using them and be clear about where they can stop in an emergency.
“That is why we are trialling these highly visible new style emergency areas.
"The bright orange colouring will make them as easy as possible to spot and should also discourage drivers from using them in non-emergency situations."
RAC: How to use a smart motorway emergency refuge area
- Emergency refuge areas (ERA) should only be used if it is safe to reach them - they are marked with blue signs featuring the orange SOS telephone symbol.
- If safe to do so, leave your vehicle and contact Highways England via the roadside emergency telephone provided
- After a call has been made, a traffic officer will be sent to assist you, or motorway signs will be set to temporarily close lanes or reduce speed limits.
- If you plan on rejoining the motorway, it is recommended you call Highways England again so that restriction can be put in place to make this as safe as possible.
- If you cannot reach an ERA, attempt to drive your car to the hard shoulder or nearest the boundary as possible.
- Hazard warning lights should be used in all instances.
Over the next three years, £3billion is being invested in upgrading existing motorways to become smart motorways, with more than 472 extra lane miles of capacity already added to the road network through these upgrades.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Our roads are some of the safest in the world but we are always looking at making them safer.
"Smart motorways are adding extra lanes to our busiest motorways and – as recent evidence shows – reducing the rate of crashes."