The roll-out and safety of smart motorways

Transport Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 26 Feb 2021 Closed: 7 Jul 2022 Parliament page
This inquiry will look at the safety of smart motorways and public confidence in their use as well as their impact upon congestion. Concerns about the safety of smart motorways have been emphasised recently with a number of fatalities on them and criticism by coroners investigating those deaths. In 2020, … Read more
7 Recommendations
4 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
6 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
12 Jan
2022
Report published
2 Nov
2021
Report published
21 Oct
2021
Correspondence
22 Sep
2021
Correspondence
14 Sep
2021
Correspondence
13 Jul
2021
Correspondence
13 Jul
2021
Correspondence
30 Jun
2021
Oral evidence
16 Jun
2021
Oral evidence
15 Jun
2021
Correspondence
19 May
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
30 Jun 2021
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Jill Adam · Department for Transport Mike Wilson · Highways England Nick Harris · National Highways The Baroness Vere of Norbiton · Department for Transport
16 Jun 2021
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Jonathan Spruce · Institution for Civil Engineers Kate Carpenter · Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation Mike Mackinnon · MMB Associates Miss Becky Needham · Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Professor David Metz · UCL Centre for Transport Studies Sarah Simpson · Royal HaskoningDHV
19 May 2021
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Chris Todd · West Midlands Police Edmund King · The AA Elizabeth de Jong · Fuels Industry UK Mr Nicholas Lyes · RAC Motoring Services
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Rollout and safety of smart motorways HC 26 2 Nov 2021 11 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Rollout and safety …
The design of our motorways and strategic roads necessarily entails balancing competing priorities.
The design of our motorways and strategic roads necessarily entails balancing competing priorities. However, successive Administrations, together with the Department and National Highways’ predecessor, Highways England, underestimated the scale of safety measures needed effectively and reliably to mitigate the risks … Read more
Government Response
The government committed to further investigating the benefits of a health and safety assessment by the ORR and establishing an expert panel to review regulatory responsibilities and assess costs, benefits, and risks of additional ORR assessment, with recommendations later in the year.
Department for Transport
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5 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Rollout and safety …
We welcome the steps that the Department is taking through the action plan to rebuild...
We welcome the steps that the Department is taking through the action plan to rebuild trust in smart motorways and to make them safer. However, we are concerned a) that emergency refuge areas will remain too far part on existing … Read more
Government Response
The government agreed in principle with the Committee's concerns but deferred action, stating that National Highways is researching the feasibility of emergency corridor rules. Initial research is due in early 2022, followed by further assessments and consultation by late 2022.
Department for Transport
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9 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Rollout and safety …
Dynamic hard shoulder motorways apparently confuse drivers, because the hard shoulder is used unpredictably to...
Dynamic hard shoulder motorways apparently confuse drivers, because the hard shoulder is used unpredictably to tackle congestion. A more consistent approach, where the hard shoulder is used at known times, could clarify the situation for drivers without physically removing the … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and commits to revisiting the case for controlled motorways compared to all-lane running motorways. An initial report comparing business cases will be published later this year, with updates as further data becomes available.
Department for Transport
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Government Response AI assessment · 11 of 7 classified
Accepted 3
Accepted in Part 3
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 3
Not Addressed 1
Total 7 recs + 4 conclusions
Correspondence 6 letters
21 Oct 2021 Correspondence from John Larkinson, Chief Executive, Office of Rail and Road, relating to the roll-out and safety motorways, dated 17 June 2021
Parliament page
22 Sep 2021 Correspondence from Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, relating to smart motorways and publication of Highway Code update, dated 14 September 2021
Parliament page
14 Sep 2021 Correspondence from Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, Department for Transport, relating to the roll-out and safety of smart motorways, dated 7 September 2021
Parliament page
13 Jul 2021 Correspondence from Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, Department of Transport, relating to the roll-out and safety of smart motorways, dated 9 July 2021
Parliament page
13 Jul 2021 Correspondence from Nick Harris, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Highways England, relating to the Roll-out and safety of smart motorways, dated 8 July 2021
Parliament page
15 Jun 2021 Correspondence to John Larkinson, Chief Executive, Office of Rail and Road, dated 28 May 2021
Parliament page