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Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - Graham.C

There are an increasing number of so called "Smart Motorways" being constructed these days. It seems to be a cut price way of obtaining an extra carriageway but at the cost of losing the safety of a hard shoulder to stop on if your car develops a fault. To cover this a "lay by" is provided at intervals, however you cannot always be sure of being able to reach a lay by if a fault arises. I can think of a number of occasions in the past when the car I have been driving has suddenly cut out without warning and I have had to come to a halt by the side of the road, fortunately without causing an accident.

The recent news that some BMW's might cut out suddenly only highlights to my mind the dangerous nature of Smart Motorways if you have to stop suddenly when other traffic can be travelling up to 70mph in the same lane!

How much thought have the authorities given to this scenario and what are you expected to do in the time before a stationary car is detected and a lane blocked sign appears on the overhead gantries. Somebody must have given the go ahead for this development, how would a risk assessment cover this?

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - Avant

"How much thought have the authorities given to this scenario?"

None.

The vast majority of motorists, as well as motoring organisations and the motoring press, agree with you, Graham - but the men in suits simply won't be told. They're now intending to make 30 miles of the M4 (London to Reading) into a so-called 'smart motorway', still with the lay-bys where you're supposed to break down 1.5 miles apart.

Sadly, someone is going to be killed when their car breaks down in the inside lane - as you say, before the lane blocking sign comes on, or even after it if someone isn't concentrating. Will they listen then? Don't hold your breath.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - alan1302

Sadly, someone is going to be killed when their car breaks down in the inside lane - as you say, before the lane blocking sign comes on, or even after it if someone isn't concentrating. Will they listen then? Don't hold your breath.

The M1 and M62 have had them for a while now and they are both very busy motorways and no one has been killed on there.

Also most breakdows don't cause the car to come to a full stop so getting to the laybys is often possible.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - retgwte

I have seen first hand the chaos and near accidents with a breakdown in the left lane, I think its madness on a motorway to allow the hard shoulder to be used for normal traffic. Its just not safe.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - ExA35Owner

There's at least some research published - see

assets.highways.gov.uk/specialist-information/know...f for example, and assets.highways.gov.uk/specialist-information/know...f and publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cm...f

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - gordonbennet

No one who uses the motorways regularly would think so called SM's are a good idea.

I use the recently opened Northamptonshire section, 16 thru to 19, probably 4 times a week and usually in the early hours when its dark, and boy is it dark on that wholly unlit section.

Most of it has an Armco barrier to the nearside so even in a light and nimble car it's impossible to get the car off the motorway as you finally roll to a halt (which i think most switched on drivers would do), and if you have total electrical failure so no lights, it doesn't take much imagination what the possibilities are.

If politicians and senior apparatchiks or other more equal than others were the likely victims of these scenarios this would not be happening, ie ring of armed steel round parliament, God help the rest of poorer London.

On the other hand, the roads cannot cope with this artificially rapidly increasing population, and a country teerering on bankruptcy cannot build enough new infrastucture, not as we have the land anyway, and if they did build more roads they'd just put up more barrack like housing and more warehouses full of far eastern tat near the various junctions.

We are where we are, all we can do is make sure our vehicles are as reliable and cared for as possible so lessening the chances of it being us as the next victims of the idiots in charge..

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - dadbif
These “smart motorways” also have many new overhead gantries, all with lane controlling signs overhead to direct traffic, however, they are also used to vary speed limits, sometimes it appears at random, the gantries are often equipped with small yellow cameras, not overhead, but at the roadside end of the gantry, when the speed limits are changed it often causes confusion and enhances the opportunity to trap the unwary motorist. It’s all about money.
Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - alan1302

Taken from one of the reports posted regarding safety:

There is a small (but not statistically significant) reduction in collision rate, over and above the national background of improved safety. While the reduction is not significant, the results provide an initial indication that safety has not worsened as a result of the scheme.

So no worse than a motorway with a hard shoulder.

Can anyone show any actual evidence that they are more dangerous?

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - daveyK_UK

What is the Vauxhall astra link in the thread topic?

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - Chris M

Obvious really. Smart motorways and Vauxhall Astras are two of the most disliked things on this forum.

;-)

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - Gibbo_Wirral

No one who uses the motorways regularly would think so called SM's are a good idea.

Actually I do. The motorways are overloaded with cars. It makes sense to use the unused lane that is the hard shoulder.

If only more drivers would take care of ther vehicles so they don't break down on them.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - Avant

If you start a thread, you are invited (you don't have to) to enter the make and model of the car you're talking about, which is no doubt what Graham, the OP, did. It doesn;t matter here, though.

Alan - although the Highways Agency has produced some information (linked above) it's too early for any meaningful stats. I jusf know that I'd feel less vulnerable if my car broke down and I was on the hard shoulder, and not in the inside lane, where there may be a delay before the red Xs appear, and even then some go-getter in a hurry may choose to ignore them and come steaming down the closed lane.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - bathtub tom

jusf know that I'd feel less vulnerable if my car broke down and I was on the hard shoulder, and not in the inside lane, where there may be a delay before the red Xs appear, and even then some go-getter in a hurry may choose to ignore them and come steaming down the closed lane.

Ever seen any of those videos where 'go-getters' use the hard shoulder?

I think the jury's still out on this. On the one hand there's the advantage of an additional lane to reduce congestion, but on the other there's the possible risk of being rammed by someone who's not alert.

I'm in favour because of the reduced journey times they make available.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - Avant

"Ever seen any of those videos where 'go-getters' use the hard shoulder?"

Yes, indeed it happens, and I'm not claiming that it's completely safe if you're on the hard shoulder. Just rather less unsafe than in the inside lane.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - daveyjp
I don't use motorways much nowadays, but the different types of smart motorways are causing confusion for some.

In West Yorkshre we have the M62 which is early smart motorway where there is occassional hard shoulder running, when you can use them the signs tell you so, any other time you can't,

The M1 now also has some stretches where the hard shoulder is an extra lane which can be used 24/7 and refuges are provided for breakdowns.

It is now not uncommon to see drivers happily using the M62 hard shoulder as a normal running lane, especially on the lead in to junctions when it is for emergencies only.


Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - alan1302

Alan - although the Highways Agency has produced some information (linked above) it's too early for any meaningful stats. I jusf know that I'd feel less vulnerable if my car broke down and I was on the hard shoulder, and not in the inside lane, where there may be a delay before the red Xs appear, and even then some go-getter in a hurry may choose to ignore them and come steaming down the closed lane.

You did say no thought had been given to the safety of drivers on the smart motorways when clearly it has and lookig at any statistics looking through Google I can't find anything to support the theory that in decreases safety.

Based on just the M1 and M62 there have not been any fatalities due to the smart motorway implementation.

I think generally they are a very good idea and one that is needed due to the volume of traffic and the best way to increase the motorways capacity without builing them wider which in many places it would now be impossible to do without huge costs and opposition.

Vauxhall Astra - Smart Motorways - NelsBentley800

I'm still impressed this topic is resonating that much. There are so many shadows in this matter from both sides. Obviously changes will always scare, Audi already received many critics when they tried to implement changes in order to reach buyers from different ages and economical classes. This techonological advances won't harm drivers. As you said, there's no reliable data about the backlashes it may have. Just being cautious it will advance positively.