is to reduce congestion using technology, instead of having to build any new road. but the type that involves permanently removing the hard shoulder to create an extra lane for traffic is controversial. they do have emergency bays, and if a vehicle stops in a live lane a red x sign can be displayed to close it. but one driver told us he feared for his life when his car developed serious engine problems. people were sounding their horns, there were three near misses one of which was an articulated truck, as in nearly rear ending me. i got out of the car, i got over the crash barrier, i dialled 999 after about five to ten minutes because the lane was still operational the cameras hadn t picked it up. the government now says it will put the brakes on the hard shoulder being scrapped on any more smart motorways, while more safety data is collected. work already under way will be finished with additional safety features.
there that this is continuing because there is that this is continuing because there is a that this is continuing because there is a continuing enquiry. and he has there is a continuing enquiry. and he has said there is a continuing enquiry. and he has said that when that enquiry is concluded, that the findings will be published and there will be an opportunity for a further discussion. but in the short term, i think discussion. but in the short term, i think that discussion. but in the short term, i think that this is a monumental relief think that this is a monumental relief to think that this is a monumental relief to myself and lots of other colleagues, because we didn t think he would colleagues, because we didn t think he would be able to carry on if he didnt he would be able to carry on if he didn t answer the basic question as to whether didn t answer the basic question as to whether or not he was there. and he has to whether or not he was there. and he has
that thought you could get masks and other equipment and if you knew a minister or an other equipment and if you knew a minister oran mp ora other equipment and if you knew a minister or an mp or a civil servant, they would put you on to essentially what was a fast track lane and people said that that was unfair, that other companies didn t get the same chances. so to campaign groups and every doctor and the good low project took the government to the high court about this, about specific contracts that were given to two companies. the high court this morning decided that that vip lane was unlawful. they said that it had given earlier consideration to some companies, it was better resourced, it was able to respond to offers on the day that they arrived. and that was in breach of the law and it was unlawful. so that s not great for the government and certainly in court they were tales of how some of the equipment couldn t be used and we understand
for vip for awarding contracts for personal protection equipment at the height of the pandemic was unlawful. the campaigning group that brought the case argued that two companies were given lucrative deals because of their connections. 0ur correspondent, lucy manning, has more: well, this is all about the enormous amount of money the government spent, especially the first stage of the pandemic, on things like masks and aprons and overalls for staff in hospitals on the front line. and the bbc and others reported that some of that couldn t be used, some of it had failed safety tests, and money was being spent that didn t necessarily have to be spent. the government was taken to the high court about this vip lane. what this meant was, if you had a company that thought you could get masks and other equipment and if you knew a minister or an mp or civil servant, they would put you on to essentially what was a fast track lane. and people said that was unfair,
any relief should be targeted at energy customers. it should not be for energy companies. what we have got to recognise is that customers have to pay a fair price for their energy. a fund like that could work if you could guarantee that prices will fall. but nobody knows what energy prices will do in the future. the government has said it is ready to act quickly, but many are already seeing a big rise in the cost of living. ramzan karmali, bbc news. the introduction of a type of smart motorway which uses the hard shoulder as a permanent lane for traffic is to be paused because of safety concerns. the motorways are designed to increase capacity and so ease congestion but critics say they have contributed to road deaths. new projects will be put on hold, and for now hard shoulders will not be reinstated. our transport correspondent katy austin has more. smart motorways. there are hundreds of miles of them across england, and plans for more. the point of smart motorways