Panorama and Smart Motorways

I don't think smart motorways are safe. It was just a cheap way for government to increase traffic capacity at the expense of safety.

annodomini

When I experienced the first smart motorway on M42 in 2006, I had my doubts which were only reinforced on subsequent journeys so why has it taken 18 years for the authorities to come to the same conclusion? Did it really have to take many accidents and several fatalities?

The M42 is a nightmare, I’ve queued on there a number of times because somebody has broken down in the smart lane and caused people behind them in that lane to swerve back onto the main carriageway to avoid them, causing accidents - one happened about three cars in front of me.

It was always a terrible idea. The hard shoulder is there for a reason, and I’m sure everyone could foresee the potential problem when plans to turn some into live lanes were announced.
Certainly the police and road safety organisations had grave doubts about the idea.

I have read countless terrifying accounts from people who have broken down in the inside live lane, and had to scramble from the car as quickly as possible and just hope there wasn’t a big drop in the ground behind the barrier.

I hate them. There’s a stretch not far from us on the very busy M3.

When I experienced the first smart motorway on M42 in 2006, I had my doubts which were only reinforced on subsequent journeys so why has it taken 18 years for the authorities to come to the same conclusion? Did it really have to take many accidents and several fatalities?

I always avoid motorways if I can..

Must find it on catch-up.

I always thought that those responsible should be made to fake a smart-motorway breakdown, say for at least an hour - in the dark, in the rain, and in the rush hour - in a car containing their children and/or anyone else they hold most dear.

And then see whether they still think it’s such a great idea.

I have to drive on a smart motorway sometimes and don't think they are safe.
If there is a breakdown in one of the lanes the technology should close that lane but apparently too much of the time it isn't working.

We watched it and it is something thst we've been concerned about for a while now.

There is a halt to the creation of more smart motorways but I'm not sure of there are plans to change existing ones back or to create more emergency refuge areas; sometimes it may not be possible to reach one.

Certainly the signs should be improved and it should be ensured that they are working properly.
However, it's not always possible to account for the idiocy of some drivers.

My complaint is that the steel barrier is very close to the slow lane when it doesnt need to be, it’s not rocket science to give more space between the lane and the barrier. Personally I avoid the slow lane on the motorway anyway.

I have long had concerns about this; but I sometimes think that French motorways do not have hard shoulders as a matter of course.

I used to drive every working day through a section of smart motorway on which several people had been killed. I didn't see the Panorama programme, but I suspect this particular stretch was featured.
As a commuter using these lanes twice a day five times a week since they were installed I can only recall one incident I found difficult, when a broken down lorry had stalled and all traffic had to quickly switch lanes. It did make me realise how quickly disasters can happen and I think this is the issue.
Flying is the safest form of transport by far, but when it goes wrong it goes very badly wrong so people associate it will danger.
For me the issue is not the concept- trust me there were far more incidents before the extra lane was installed, but the reliance on the technology which is clearly not fit for purpose.
Thank goodness I'm retired now and don't make the journey any more.