Smart Motorway Victims' Families to Protest at Labour Conference
Relatives of those killed on smart motorways plan to demonstrate at the Labour Party conference, demanding the reinstatement of hard shoulders. The protest highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding these road systems.
Families of individuals who lost their lives on smart motorways are set to demonstrate outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Monday, September 23, 2024. Their primary demand is for the new Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, to fulfill her pre-election pledge of reinstating hard shoulders on these controversial road systems.
Protesters plan to distribute leaflets detailing Haigh's previous commitments regarding smart motorways. In March 2023, while serving as Shadow Transport Secretary, Haigh stated that Labour would reinstate hard shoulders on all smart motorways, deeming them "unfit for purpose." However, post-election, her stance appears to have softened, with a commitment to review existing evidence on smart motorways' fitness for purpose.
Claire Mercer, whose husband Jason tragically died on the M1 due to the absence of a hard shoulder, will lead the demonstration. Mercer expressed hope that Haigh would honor her previous commitments, stating, "Now she is the Transport Secretary, she is the one person capable of honouring her own commitment."
Smart motorways, first introduced in the UK in 2006, have been a subject of ongoing controversy. These systems, which originated in the Netherlands in the 1980s, involve converting the hard shoulder into a live traffic lane and relying on technology to detect stranded vehicles. The UK currently has approximately 500 miles of smart motorways, with the first being implemented on the M42 in the West Midlands.
"Radar detects nearly 90 per cent of stopped vehicles, meaning one in 10 is not spotted."
Despite National Highways' assertion that their radar technology detects most stopped vehicles, safety concerns persist. Over the past five years, seven coroners have called for improvements to smart motorway safety. The system has been criticized for its impact on emergency services response times and the potential risks to stranded motorists.
The UK government paused the rollout of new smart motorways in January 2022, reflecting growing concerns. A Department for Transport spokesperson emphasized that road safety is a top priority, stating, "We will deliver a comprehensive new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade – to reduce tragic deaths and injuries on our roads."
As the debate continues, it's worth noting that smart motorways use various technologies, including CCTV cameras, radar, and overhead gantries displaying variable speed limits. The cost of converting a traditional motorway to a smart motorway ranges from £5-15 million per mile, highlighting the significant investment in this controversial infrastructure.
