Good Morning Britain, ITV's breakfast news magazine programme has started a campaign to stop the further development (and future re-conversion) of "smart motorways" because of the increased threat they pose to the safety of road users. This may have been prompted by the the Commons Transport Committe having concerns about the safety of "smart motorways".
The main concern s the removal of the hard shoulder to make a further running lane. This results in an inherently unsafe environment for any broken-down vehicle. In addition it also removes accessibilty for emergency services. Ambulances may either take a very long time to access an injured person, or the whole carriageway may need to de closed so that emergency vehicles can access the scene by "wrong way" driving on the now-empty carriageway.
Another concern is the level of "smartness" being built into conversions. People being employed to watch several monitors simultaneously in order to identify situations requiring appropriate action.
There appears to be a universal dislike of "smart motorways" among the presenting team and open scorn of the government - suggesting that the government's reluctance to halt their further development would make look as though the original idea was not a good one.
Two thoughts occur to me. One is that the programme is taking an open stance against a policy of the government in power. Would a campain like this be permitted on any BBC news programme?
The other is that a policy designed toencourage more motor vehicles to occupy given stretches of road is in practice at the same time as Alexander Johnson is bleating platitudes and promises at COP-26.
(My personal view - "smart motorways" are dangerous, the policy was ill-advised and was probably driven by efficiency rather than effectiveness.)
