Why is work continuing to open smart motorways when they are meant to be under review?

By smartmotorwayskill

Highways England has announced that work has begun on the M56 as part of the creation of a “smart motorway” between junctions 6 and 8.

Why? In October Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a “short review” of smart motorways. This was supposedly to establish that they were “as safe as they possibly can be” after eight people had been killed. Nothing, publicly at least, has been heard about this review and its progress, much less its conclusions. So why is Highways England pressing ahead with its plans?

According to reports https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/years-road-chaos-ahead-plans-17512611 the work, which involves clearing vegetation in preparation for construction, is also taking place ahead of two public consultation events. https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/m56-junctions-6-to-8-smart-motorway/

The M56, which is 33 miles long, stretches between Cheshire and Greater Manchester and provides access to Manchester Airport. Construction will mean the hard shoulder between junctions 6 and 8 will be removed on this key commuter route.

One would have thought that a “short review” would involve, at the very least, a temporary halt to such plans. If it were believed a surgeon was careless in the operating theatre, he would not be allowed to continue practising while the allegations were tested.

But Highways England is not being held to the same standard as any other provider of a public service. It is allowed to continue rolling-out its death traps, despite growing concern. And the ways through which it is doing so are becoming more nefarious.

In December, it was announced that the Huntingdon Southern Bypass had opened, fully a year ahead of schedule, as part of the £1.5bn scheme to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon. While described as a “best in class” A-road, it is essentially a Smart Motorway. Highways describes the three-lane road as “an all lane running smart motorway, with no hard shoulder, emergency areas and signs on gantries that can close lanes and show speed limits.” https://www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/As-one-A14-opens-another-closes/5319.

This disregard for public safety and accountability cannot be allowed to continue. The same day that work on the M56 was announced, two lorry drivers were killed in a collision on the M1 southbound between junctions 13 and 12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-50992968

The stretch has recently been upgraded to a smart motorway, with a dynamic hard shoulder. It was the fourth serious incident on the same stretch in one month, three of which had occurred within 11 days. It is too soon to know if the so-called upgrade played a role but there are clearly questions to be answered. So how can Highways England be free to continue its plans for smart motorways when they are supposedly under review? Or is the conclusion already known?