Removing hard shoulder was a ‘lethal’ cost-cutting ploy, MPs told

Drivers stranded in live lanes on smart motorways are ‘effectively left on their own’, expert warns

 

Removing the hard shoulder was a “lethal” cost-cutting decision which leaves motorists to fend for themselves if they break down on a smart motorway, MPs were told on Wednesday.

Sarah Simpson, a transport expert at engineering consultancy Royal Haskoning DHV, told the transport committee the “risks to life and limb” on all lane running motorways were “intolerable” to many motorists.

Explaining how she had studied 20 years of official documents before producing an independent report for the relatives of a man killed on the M1, she concluded the removal of the hard shoulder increased road capacity while still allowing for a “cost saving”.

She said one review found that because smart motorways were “very safe” there was an “opportunity to specifically design them to be less safe in order to save costs”.

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2 thoughts on “Removing hard shoulder was a ‘lethal’ cost-cutting ploy, MPs told”

  1. Totally respect your bravery in starting this campaign, my heart goes out to you and all those who have lost their loved ones by this insidious and dangerous cost cutting scheme , put the hard shoulders back for goodness sack how many more souls will lose their lives. Is there a criminal case the can be taken to the Highway Agency?

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