A recent study by the AA has shown that the number of drivers feeling nervous or anxious while driving on “smart” motorways has doubled in the last year. These motorways use technology that converts the hard shoulder into an additional traffic lane to enhance traffic flow. As of April 2024, there were 396 miles of smart motorways in England.
Despite the intention to improve traffic efficiency, critics argue that smart motorways are flawed, citing at least 79 fatalities on these roads between 2010 and 2024. Research indicates that drivers who experience breakdowns on motorways lacking a hard shoulder are three times more likely to face fatalities or severe injuries compared to those on roads with a dedicated hard shoulder.
A survey conducted among 12,705 AA members revealed a significant rise in feelings of nervousness or anxiety on smart motorways without a hard shoulder, where emergency refuge areas are spaced about three-quarters of a mile apart. The proportion of drivers reporting such feelings has surged from 23% to 46% over the past year. Similarly, motorways that open the hard shoulder only during peak traffic times saw anxiety levels among drivers increase from 30% to 47% within the same period.
In April 2023, the Conservative government announced the cancellation of new smart motorway projects due to concerns about public confidence and financial pressures. Edmund King, the president of AA, emphasized the importance of reinstating the hard shoulder in controlled motorway environments to restore driver confidence in smart motorways.
The AA advocates for enhanced transparency and consistency in assessing and monitoring motorway safety. The organization expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding independent safety reviews on existing smart motorways post the cancellation of new projects. Urgent release of safety reports on operational stretches of smart motorways was urged to evaluate the overall success of the smart motorway initiative.
Although a Department for Transport spokesperson highlighted that smart motorways remain among the safest roads in terms of serious accidents, the AA and drivers continue to call for a more comprehensive approach to addressing safety concerns and improving public confidence in these road systems.