Police figures contest smart motorway safety in inquiry evidence
Police figures have contested Highways England’s assertion that smart motorways are “as safe as or safer than conventional motorways” in evidence submitted to the Commons transport select committee inquiry into the roads.
The safety of smart motorways – where the hard shoulder has been replaced by a live lane – has been repeatedly called into question, and the House of Commons transport select committee is now investigating a further rise in annual deaths.
In his submission to the inquiry, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said Highways England s reasoning about safety is “flawed”, emphasising that “stopping in a live lane is inherently and immediately dangerous .