You may be shocked when you drive on a smart highway for the first time and have to reassess the traffic rules.
The technology-led gateways have been shrouded in controversy since the concept was first introduced in 2006.
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But Britons could be in danger if they travel with them this weekend, if one the appearance of warning signs can mean chaos.
Road signs are everywhere, designed to protect stranded motorists the highway network as part of a planned outage.
Whistleblowers on National highways have warned that broken-down motorists could be left like “sitting ducks”.
The fault will affect parts of the motorway in Yorkshire, the North East, North West, Midlands and South West.
They use modern methods to manage the flow of trafficbut this often means they are missing an important part Security option.
Smart highways increases the number of available lanes by removing the hard shoulder.
But after one series of deaths and accidents without the reliable haven of motorists, the government has pumped the breaks on a national rollout through 2025.
Statistics released in December by the Bureau of Railways and Roads warned that less than 60 percent of stationary vehicles were detected on the new roads.
Iain Stewart, chairman of the Transport Commission, described the figure as “chilling” and “deeply concerning”.
“Every second counts when cars, coaches and trucks are traveling at 110 km/h and there is no emergency lane,” he said.
At least that is what a government study showed 24 broken down drivers or passengers died on them since 2015.
What is a smart highway?
There are three types of smart highways in UK – all lane running (ARL), controlled and dynamic hard shoulder.
As the name suggests, ARL refers to parts of the new roads where all lanes are open, which is what she means don’t have a hard shoulder.
Instead, they use specially equipped Emergency Refuge Areas for motorists who get into trouble.
If there is a disturbance or incident in one of the lanes, road signs inform drivers that it is closed.
Controlled sections of highways use technology to control traffic flow during busy times, which have a minimum of three lanes.
Drivers can vary the speed limit – with illuminated signs on overhead portals – with the aim of alleviating the frustrating stop-start driving conditions often encountered on normal roads.
They also activate warning signs – to warn you of traffic jams and dangers ahead – and close lanes to allow emergency vehicles through.
Variable speed limits are enforced with automatic cameras – which ones Running 24 hours a day, even if the limit is 70 mph.
Smart highways can also increase capacity on the road by opening up the emergency lane at busy times.
These dynamic emergency lanes are managed by Highways England, a public company.
It says congestion on the motorway and main road network in England is estimated to cost £2 billion each year, 25 per cent of which is a result of incidents.
Where are they near me?
After the success of the first smart highway plan on the M42 Britain now has over 236 miles of new roads.
Most of these are in the South East and around Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield.
Here is an overview of the existing smart highways in the United Kingdom:
- M1: J6A-J10, J23A-J24, J25-J28 and J31-J32
- M6: J10A-J11A
- M8: J7-8, J8-10 (eastbound)
- M9: J1-J1A (Southbound)
- M20: J5-J7
- M25: J2-J3, J6-J7 (counterclockwise), J7-J23 and J27-J30
- M40: J16-M42, J3A (northbound)
- M42: J3-J3A (eastbound), J7-J9
- M60: J8-J18
- M62: J9-J10 (eastbound) and J28-J29
- M73: J1-J2, J2-J2A (southbound)
- M74: J2A-J5
- M90: M9 J1A-J2 and J2-J3 (southbound)
- A90: Dedicated road between the M90 in South Queensferry
- A14: J22-J33
- A1: Where it joins the new A14
- A470: A648-M4 J32 (Southbound)
How do I stay safe on smart highways?
According to a RAC survey68 percent of Britons believe that removing the hard shoulder will jeopardize safety.
All normal traffic rules also applies when driving on smart highways, but there are a few extra things to keep in mind.
Highways England gives the following advice when driving on a smart highway:
- Never drive under a red “X” – you could be fined £60 and receive three penalty points
- Please adhere to the speed limit indicated on the portals
- A solid white line indicates the emergency lane – do not enter it unless otherwise indicated
- A broken white line indicates a normal running track
- Use the emergency shelters if there is no hard shoulder
- Turn on your hazard lights if you’re out of luck
- If your vehicle encounters difficulties, for example a warning light, exit the smart highway immediately if possible and find a relatively safe place to stop