Concerns over the use of hard shoulders as running lanes on Smart Motorways have been laid bare by the Transport Select Committee, which has published a dossier of written evidence on its website.

Twelve submissions to an inquiry into 'all lane running' were posted last week, including comments from two police groups that distances between emergency refuge areas off the carriageway are too large, presenting an increased risk to road users.

The Central Motorway Police Group said that the spacing of gantries and distance between emergency refuge areas on all lane running sections of Smart Motorways is significantly different to earlier schemes – such as on the M42 Active Traffic Management project – which it described as “a cause for concern”.

This, coupled with the removal of traditional hard shoulders, “will see an increased number of live lane breakdowns, increasing risk to those using the network”, it says.

The group added that the misuse of emergency refuge bays by foreign lorry drivers is becoming more apparent, reducing the number of safe areas for motorists in difficulty.

The Metropolitan Police Service said in its written submission to the inquiry that emergency refuge areas “are both too small and too widely spaced” to offer adequate emergency stopping provision where the hard shoulder has been removed.

Advanced signage indicating the distance to the next refuge area is inadequate, it claims, and there are no electronic indicators to advise Highways England if a vehicle stops in a refuge area.

Motoring group the AA added that the current 2.5km spacing between emergency refuge areas could mean that many broken down drivers are unable to reach a place of safety. It went on to say that the police pursuit of dangerous drivers and criminals may be hampered on Smart Motorways due to the inability to pull them over safely.

AA President Edmund King said: “In view of the widespread concerns from the emergency services and ourselves we believe the Select Committee should instigate a full inquiry with witnesses to address these major safety and operational concerns.”

The Campaign for Better Transport called for a moratorium on further Smart Motorways using all lane running until a full review has taken place. Sustainable transport campaigner Bridget Fox said: "There are obvious safety concerns: the hard shoulder provides vital emergency access in the event of breakdowns and crashes.”

The West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority said in its submission that operators of large vehicles are concerned that the emergency bays are too small to accommodate both an 18m long lorry and a recovery truck.

Anecdotal evidence passed on from the Institute of Advanced Motorists says that drivers receive little support when emerging from an emergency refuge area. It reported that it is unclear if signals will allow drivers to emerge safety from a bay or whether they are expected to make their own decisions.

Highways England responded by saying that on two sections of the M25 featuring all lane running (junctions 5-7 and 23-27) there has been a reduction in collisions (down 15% and 19% respectively) and casualties (down 27% and 15%) since the motorway was upgraded.

It added that research on use of the hard shoulder on motorways shows that discretionary stops out number breakdowns by between eight and 10 times. The spacing of refuge areas is equivalent, it adds, to the spacing of laybys on trunk roads. At a speed of 60MPH drivers will pass an area of refuge every 90 seconds.

“Our motorways are some of the safest in the world,” a spokesperson said. “All lane running on the M25 has also reduced congestion and led to more reliable journeys. As we gradually roll out these upgrades on other motorways we will continue to work closely with all the emergency services so we can ensure safety is maintained.”

The Transport Select Committee refused to be drawn on whether an oral evidence session into all lane running on Smart Motorways will be held soon.

(Photo: Highways England)