Smart motorway technology requires ‘urgent’ improvement

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.

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

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!

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.

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

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

RickGrimes    on 19 October 2023

The concerns raised about the performance of smart motorway technology are indeed alarming. Ensuring the safety of drivers should always be a top priority, and it's crucial that the technology in place is reliable and efficient. Similarly, in the realm of coding, having reliable resources is essential. I've been using codinghomeworkhelp.org/matlab-assignment-help.html for assignments, and it's been a game-changer in terms of reliability and efficiency. Just as drivers rely on technology for safety, coders rely on dependable platforms for their projects. Has anyone else here sought reliable resources for their coding or driving needs? How do you ensure you're getting the best assistance?