Campaigners believe evaluations have been suppressed as they cast further doubt on safety and economic benefits
Road campaigners and motoring organisations have urged UK government ministers to immediately release a series of “withheld” safety assessments of smart motorways – some dating back to 2022.
Designed to increase capacity, smart motorways have the hard shoulder converted into a live lane of traffic, relying on occasional laybys and electronic overhead signs to close lanes in emergencies.
Campaigners believe the reports from National Highways, which is responsible for England’s motorways, have been suppressed because they cast further doubt on the safety and economic benefits of smart motorways.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has said the reports, known as “popes” (post-opening project evaluations), will be published imminently, and do not undermine the broad case for smart motorways as statistically the safest roads. Full article here