Smart motorway technology requires ‘urgent’ improvement
- A third of broken-down vehicles are not being detected by smart motorway technology
- False detection rates of breakdowns on smart motorways are also too high
- Transport watchdog ORR says National Highways needs to urgently improve its performance in this area
National Highways needs to ‘urgently’ improve technology which detects when a vehicle has broken down on a smart motorway, according to transport watchdog the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
The Government paused the roll out of all-lane running smart motorways, which do not have a permanent hard shoulder, earlier this year and committed to installing stopped vehicle detection (SVD) technology on every existing all-lane running smart motorway by March 2023.
Although this target has already been achieved, a new report published by the ORR has shown the actual performance of SVD is falling short of the performance requirements that National Highways set itself.
It shows that a third of broken-down vehicles are missed and that "false detection rates" of breakdowns are too high.
Conservative MP Iain Stewart, chair of the Transport Committee, which has previously highlighted concerns about smart motorways to the Government, said that the new data "will undermine trust that this system can work".
“The statistics revealed today by the Office for Rail and Road raise considerable concerns about the performance of National Highways in protecting drivers on smart motorways. This is putting lives at risk," he said.
“The idea that in some regions of the country less than 60 per cent of stopped vehicles were detected on smart motorways is chilling. In addition the fact that, in some areas, it took over 60 seconds for a stopped vehicle to be detected is also deeply concerning. Every second counts when cars, coaches and lorries are driving at up to 70 mph and there’s no hard shoulder."
ORR chief executive John Larkinson said: “Our previous work on smart motorway data has shown that these roads are as safe as the motorways they replaced but the number of live lane breakdowns are higher.
“Having the SVD radar detection equipment in place sooner than planned has helped to reduce the duration of these breakdowns more quickly but it’s not working as well as it should.
“While it is still too early to have robust data, it’s clear National Highways needs to urgently improve its performance in this area.”
The ORR’s report states that National Highways is seeking rapid improvements to the SVD technology to achieve the required performance levels by the end of June 2023.
The regulator said it is scrutinising the company’s progress and will take further action should it not appear to be on track to achieve the required improvements.
What is a smart motorway?
There are three types of smart motorway:
- All-lane running: the hard shoulder is permanently converted into a live lane and there are emergency refuge areas at regular intervals.
- Dynamic hard shoulder: the hard shoulder is converted to a live lane at peak times of congestion.
- Controlled: a motorway with three or more lanes, a hard shoulder and variable speed limits.
Which motorways are smart motorways?
There are around 375 miles of smart motorways on sections of the M1, M3, M4, M5, M6, M20, M23, M25, M27, the M40/M42 interchange, M56 and M62.
What should we do if we break down in the live lane of a Smart motorway?
Why don't National Highways educate drivers about motorways and the left lane?
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deepdale56 on 15 December 2022
The fuss about smart motorways is massively overdone By far the safest roads are motorways and smart motorways have been shown statistically to be equally as safe as standard motorways. Anyone who diverts onto other urban roads to avoid smart motorways is putting themselves, cyclists and pedestrians at greater risk.Why is there not similar publicity about the thousands of miles of dual carriageways we all regularly use, with no additional safety features like radar detection, overhead warnings etc.
So, MP's and the media should stop being influenced by the occasional attention seeking by coroners and focus on the facts. Every death on our roads is a tragedy. Whatever resources available to reduce deaths and injuries should be focussed on by far the most dangerous roads ie country lanes and single lane urban roads.
Smart motorways save lives!
SPFriend on 15 December 2022
The way new systems are having to be introduced on ALR "smart" motorways, suggests that it would be cheaper just to build an extra lane for a (new) hard shoulder.sixcylinder on 15 December 2022
Contax139 on 15 December 2022
I fully agree, I can't see the problems with smart motorways, OK a hard shoulder is good if you breakdown and can get to it but does not mean you are safe, many have been hit on hard shoulder. If you breakdown suddenly in right hand lane you put hazards on and get in central reservation if safe to do so well ahead of your car in case it gets hit and dial 999. If in a centre lane you have to stay in car belted up with hazards on and dial 999.
I drivers are concentrating on the road, driving at a speed and distance where they can stop if any sudden obstruction then there's no problem, proves drivers don't if hit another vehicle. A smart motorway is no different to a standard motorway or a dual carriageway, all the electronics can only inform drivers and if obeyed reduce risks, can't stop all traffic that has passed the gantry of signs to the obstruction and I doubt any electronics will stop everything, drivers are the ones in control of their vehicles so drive properly and safely, don't crash.
Graham Saunders on 16 December 2022
It is all very well parroting that smart motorways are as safe as other motorways, but the fact remains that deaths on smart motorways are of blameless victims. Whereas, those on other motorways are often caused by irresponsible dangerous drivers. Having said that, no one deserves to die.
Far better to use the radar detection equipment to monitor unnecessary occupation of outer lanes and punish those that transgress with a harsher penalty than the nugatory £100 that in any case is never applied unless witnessed by a virtually invisible traffic police patrol.
Also, perhaps a system where drivers could be encouraged to submit dashcam footage of transgressors to identify them. If this encouraged drivers to 'move over' whenever possible it would expand the capacity of non-smart motorways by freeing up the outer lanes. One often finds that only two out of three lanes are in proper use. If all lanes were to be used properly it would increase capacity by at least 25% if not more.
Gary Hewitt on 16 December 2022
Irrespective of whatever statistics National Highways and the government trot out to defend their terrible creations, All Lane Running smart motorways are hated by the vast majority of the British motoring public, and will never be accepted as the solution to anticipated future capacity issues. No amount of (proven unreliable) tech can ever compensate for the theft of our hard shoulder.Sure enough, hard shoulders weren't perfectly safe, and far too many lives were lost on them over the years. However, even without the benefit of the improved monitoring and CCTV coverage which is an undoubted benefit of the smart motorway project, hard shoulders were a far safer place to be stranded than a live lane, and the visual reassurance they give should not be underestimated. There can be little more daunting sight on an ALR smart motorway than the signpost which states that the next Emergency Refuge Area is 1 mile + away. Every splutter, judder or unexpected noise from the car becomes terrifying, as the sadly all-too-common images of ALR carnage flashes before your eyes...
Fortunately, the solution already exists, continues to prove it's safety and makes perfect sense. Controlled Motorways have all the good tech of the smart motorway project but, crucially, retain the permanent, continuous and improved hard shoulder which motorists demand. The best of all worlds.
Allow the technology to better manage the traffic flow, and then reassess capacity requirements. I strongly suspect no further capacity would be required but, if it is, do the job right by widening the road to add an extra lane.
Not by stealing our hard shoulder. Our lifeline.
frank o' brien on 16 December 2022
are you for real??
ch3no2 on 17 December 2022
The person or committee who thought smart motorways was a good idea should be strapped into a chair or chairs and put in the left hand lane of the M3 to contemplate their actions. They are downright dangerous as they rely on timely intervention by electronics and operators which can fail to detect a stopped car, and the following traffic in the left lane actually obeying the signs if they are lit.I doubt whether they add much to capacity as a breakdown or incident requires 4 lanes to start merging into 3 with consequent congestion.
elfman on 17 December 2022
Both our recent Prime Ministers have stated their opposition to the criminally misnamed Smart Motorways. Just get rid of them. The idea that they can save lives is bonkers.Paul Jenkinz on 11 March 2023
Engineer Andy on 18 December 2022
So which government agency do you work for, deepdale56? All those 'smart' motorways 'safe and effective', and we're all just making it all up? If you'd care to look at the Backroom discussions about this from some time ago, you'll see why they are not, and are a waste of money.
Edited by Engineer Andy on 18/12/2022 at 12:16
alan1302 on 20 December 2022
If you can show some statistics showing how much more dangerous they are that would be very welcome...I expect not to see anything from you.
Samanta Smith on 11 August 2023
Lives are potentially at risk due to these shortcomings. It's unsettling to learn that in certain regions, less than 60% of stopped vehicles were detected, and some took over 60 seconds to be identified. This raises serious questions about the effectiveness and reliability of the system, especially when vehicles are traveling at high speeds with no hard shoulder. On TrustMyPaper there are a lot of important topic for review if needed. However, urgent improvements are necessary to restore confidence in the safety of smart motorways and ensure the well-being of drivers.
Edited by Samanta Smith on 12/08/2023 at 15:03
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