According to new research by the RAC, 69% of drivers want the hard shoulder to be reinstated on the 235 miles of existing all-lane-running smart motorways.
The RAC believes that the recent decision to scrap 14 all-lane-running schemes needs to be quickly followed by the reinstatement of hard shoulders as this is clearly what a majority of drivers are expecting.
The government claims that reinstating the hard shoulder would come at a significant cost and be too disruptive, but drivers clearly don’t buy this. The RAC continues to believe that reinstating the hard shoulder on all stretches of road where they’ve been converted into a permanent fourth lane is the right thing to do.
While all the existing installed technology, including variable speed limits, which helps to manage traffic flow would be retained, it’s unclear how much increased congestion there would be due to the overall reduction in road space. Nonetheless, this might be something drivers are willing to tolerate if it means they’re kept safer.
Another option could be to convert as many all-lane-running stretches as feasible into dynamic hard shoulder schemes, such as already exist on parts of the M42, M4 and M5. This would allow for the hard shoulder to be used as an additional lane during periods of heavy traffic while still providing a refuge for stranded vehicles during quieter times.
It remains to be seen what action will be taken by the government in response to this call from drivers and the RAC, but it’s clear that there is significant support for the reinstatement of the hard shoulder on existing all-lane-running smart motorways.
Received message. Here’s a short blog post on the topic: **Drivers and the RAC Call for Hard Shoulder to be Reinstated on Existing All-Lane-Running Smart Motorways** According to new research by the RAC, 69% of drivers want the hard shoulder to be reinstated on the 235 miles of existing all-lane-running smart motorways. The RAC believes that the recent decision to scrap 14 all-lane-running schemes needs to be quickly followed by the reinstatement of hard shoulders as this is clearly what a majority of drivers are expecting. The government claims that reinstating the hard shoulder would come at a significant cost and be too disruptive, but drivers clearly don’t buy this. The RAC continues to believe that reinstating the hard shoulder on all stretches of road where they’ve been converted into a permanent fourth lane is the right thing to do. While all the existing installed technology, including variable speed limits, which helps to manage traffic flow would be retained, it’s unclear how much increased congestion there would be due to the overall reduction in road space. Nonetheless, this might be something drivers are willing to tolerate if it means they’re kept safer. Another option could be to convert as many all-lane-running stretches as feasible into dynamic hard shoulder schemes, such as already exist on parts of the M42, M4 and M5. This would allow for the hard shoulder to be used as an additional lane during periods of heavy traffic while still providing a refuge for stranded vehicles during quieter times. It remains to be seen what action will be taken by the government in response to this call from drivers and the RAC, but it’s clear that there is significant support for the reinstatement of the hard shoulder on existing all-lane-running smart motorways.
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