Third Report - Rollout and safety of smart motorways
Select Committee
Transport Committee
HC 26
2 November 2021
Government response
Rollout and safety of smart motorways: Government Response to the Committee's Third Report · published 12 Jan 2022
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
1
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 15
The design of our motorways and strategic roads necessarily entails balancing competing priorities.
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
We welcome the steps that the Department is taking through the action plan to rebuild...
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
Para 44
Dynamic hard shoulder motorways apparently confuse drivers, because the hard shoulder is used unpredictably to...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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