Updated: 10:29 EST, 6 March 2025
47
View
comments
A third of drivers feel 'a lot less safe' on smart motorways than they did three years ago, according to a new AA survey.
While just 2 per cent of the panel of 13,500 UK licence holders said they feel more at risk on conventional motorways than they did in 2022, 34 per cent said they are more anxious driving on sections of smart motorway with dynamic hard shoulders, which can be turned into active lanes to ease congestion when traffic levels rise.
Drivers generally feel more unsafe on any stretch of smart motorway where there is no hard shoulder, the study found.
As such, three in five of the nation's motorists want smart motorways scrapped entirely.
The report comes as drivers and policy makers await National Highway's fourth annual 'safety stocktake' on smart motorways, which was due to be published last year but has still yet to surface.
The AA says this needs to be released as a matter of urgency with 79 lives already lost on these roads between 2010 and 2024.
A third of drivers feel 'a lot less safe' on smart motorways than they did three years ago, a new AA report has revealed as the majority of motorists now want they scrapped entirely
Construction of any new smart motorways was axed in 2023 by Rishi Sunak's government due to financial pressures and a lack of public confidence.
The decision came after a number of high-profile deaths on smart motorways, which led to probes into their safety.
This included the Daily Mail's 2021/22 campaign to have them axed after a reporter went undercover at a National Highways control room for six weeks and uncovered a number of alarming issues.
The 2023 decision meant any smart motorways planned into the Road Investment Strategy for 2025 to 2030 - and all previously paused schemes - were cancelled with immediate effect.
Ministers also promised £900million to make safety improvements to existing 'smart' stretches.
However, the AA's report found three-fifths of drivers want the 400 miles of smart motorway making up our network scrapped completely and these sections to be converted back to traditional three running lanes with a permanent hard shoulder.
Just 11 per cent of the panel said the network should be left in its current state, and only nine per cent said that all-lane running (ALR) motorways with no hard shoulders to be converted to DHS schemes.
Meanwhile, 14 per cent saidthey should be turned into 'controlled motorways', which have a permanent hard shoulder but variable speed limits to allow for traffic slowing measures to prevent jams forming on when there has been an accident up ahead.
A third (34%) of the AA panel said they are more anxious driving on sections of smart motorway with dynamic hard shoulders (pictured), which can be turn the emergency lane into an active lane to ease congestion when traffic levels rise
In 2024, This is Money exclusively revealed in conjunction with road safety charity IAM RoadSmart that 13 per cent of the nation's 1,916 miles of motorway network has no hard shoulder at any time.
Analysis of official data showed that almost 250 miles (249.5) has been converted to ALR motorways without a hard shoulder.
The revelation came just weeks after National Highways publishing a report in December 2023 showing smart motorways without a hard shoulder were three times more dangerous to break down on than those with an emergency lane.
The rate of 'killed and serious injury' (KSI) incidents during breakdowns on smart motorways with no permanent hard shoulder has increased by 10 per cent.
KSI tragedies increased for three out of five schemes since having their hard shoulder removed.
ALL LANE RUNNING (ALR)
All lane running schemes permanently remove the hard shoulder and convert it into a running lane.
On these types of motorway, lane one (formerly the hard shoulder) is only closed to traffic in the event of an incident.
In this case a lane closure will be signalled by a red X on the gantry above, meaning you must exit the lane as soon as possible.
All running lane motorways also have overhead gantry signs that display the mandatory speed limit.
Should drivers break down or be involved in an accident there are emergency refuge areas at the side of the carriageway for them to use.
Miles in total: 249.5 miles
Percentage of smart motorways in England: 55.1%
Percentage of all motorways in England: 13%
CONTROLLED MOTORWAY
Controlled motorways have three or more lanes with variable speed limits, but retains a hard shoulder. The hard shoulder should only be used in a genuine emergency.
These variable speed limits are displayed on overhead gantry signs - if no speed limit is displayed the national speed limit is in place. Speed cameras are used to enforce these.
Miles in total: 140.2 miles
Percentage of smart motorways in England: 31.0%
Percentage of all motorways in England: 7.3%
DYNAMIC HARD SHOULDER (DHS)
Originally referred to as Hard Shoulder Running smart motorways, dynamic hard shoulder running involves open the hard shoulder as a running lane to traffic at busy periods to ease congestion.
On these stretches a solid white line differentiates the hard shoulder from the normal carriageway. Overhead signs on gantries indicate whether or not the hard shoulder is open to traffic.
The hard shoulder must not be used if the signs over it are blank or display a red X, except in the case of an emergency.
A red X on the gantry above means you must exit the lane as soon as possible.
Overhead gantries on these types of motorway also display the mandatory speed limit which varies depending on the traffic conditions. Speed cameras are used to enforce these - no speed limit displayed indicates the national speed limit is in place.
Miles in total: 62.6 miles
Percentage of smart motorways in England: 13.8%
Percentage of all motorways in England: 3.3%
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
Share what you think
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group