A Government rethink on smart motorway conditions has received a warm welcome from a leading road safety group.
Lack of hard shoulders and refuge areas, and the lack of clear information for drivers regarding the use of smart motorways, has long been a cause for concern to road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist.
However, they are relieved to hear of newly-announced plans to scrap the use of hard shoulders as live lanes during busy times, increase the number of refuge areas on motorways where there are no hard shoulders, increase traffic officer patrols, improve signage, and raise public awareness.
“The toll of deaths, injuries and near-misses on smart motorways in recent years is unacceptably high, so we are relieved that the government has listened to the valid concerns of road safety groups”, said GEM road safety officer Neil Worth.
He added, “We remain concerned that enough is being done to reduce risk for those motorists unfortunate enough to experience a breakdown on a stretch of smart motorway. Although under these plans there will thankfully be more places to pull over in an emergency, we warn that many drivers who break down will still face the real risk of finding themselves stuck on the carriageway, with no protection whatsoever.”
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