Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 24
The available data on the safety of all-lane running motorways are limited and volatile.
Recommendation
The available data on the safety of all-lane running motorways are limited and volatile. There are only five-years of safety data available for 29 miles of all-lane running motorways. The Department and National Highways should pause the rollout of all-lane running motorways until five-years of safety data is available for the remaining 112 miles of all-lane running motorway introduced before 2020.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government states it agrees with the recommendation but does not commit to pausing the rollout of all-lane running motorways. Instead, its response focuses on assessing the effectiveness and operation of Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) technology and other safety measures, with an initial report expected later this year.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
24
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
13. The Government agrees with this recommendation and will immediately pause the roll-out of ALR smart motorway schemes yet to commence construction until five-years of safety data is available for ALR motorways introduced before 2020. 14. Despite the evidence provided by the Government and the implementation of actions from the Stocktake and Action Plan, the Committee’s recommendation suggests that more needs to be done to demonstrate the safety case for ALR smart motorways and that further data is required to inform future decisions on enhancing capacity on the SRN. 15. As such, we will immediately pause the roll-out of ALR schemes yet to commence construction. This includes the M3 J9–14, M40/M42 interchange, the M62 J20–25, and the M25 J10–16. At some of these locations, we will continue to invest in additional safety measures by making improvements to the central reservation. 16. We will complete schemes already in construction given they are all over 50% complete. In addition, leaving Traffic Management in place for the duration of the pause would lead to significant disruption to the travelling public and could potentially lead to drivers using less safe A-roads. 17. The schemes currently in construction will have SVD technology in place when opened as well as some additional Emergency Areas (EAs), where possible.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗