Motoring groups report that most drivers do not feel safe on smart motorways, and fresh calls are now being made to install more emergency refuge areas and speed up the roll out of stopped vehicle detection radar technology.

A poll of drivers by the AA indicated that just 9% feel relaxed or safe on smart motorways, while 57% said the public has not been well informed by Highways England about the different types of motorway.

“Drivers don’t trust smart motorways and with 38% of breakdowns occurring in live lanes that is not surprising,” said AA president Edmund King. “If the Government is not going back to the drawing board to reinstate the hard shoulder, then the least they can do is to double the number of emergency refuge areas.”

The BBC Panorama programme highlighted that in many cases emergency refuge areas are spaced as much as 2.5km apart. It added that 38 people have been killed on smart motorways in the last five years, and on one stretch of the M25 the rate of near misses has multiplied by 20 since hard shoulder was removed.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “It is now abundantly clear things need to change. We have consistently called for the roll out of stopped vehicle detection radar technology to quickly identify stranded vehicles, and additional SOS areas to give drivers a greater chance of reaching one in the event of an emergency, thereby reducing the collision risk.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps launched a ‘stocktake’ review of smart motorway safety at the end of last year and indicated to Panorama that reforms may be on the way. He also hinted that ‘dynamic’ smart motorways – where the hard shoulder can be opened or closed depending on traffic volumes – are too confusing for drivers and may be scrapped.

The Transport Secretary said in a statement: “My thoughts and sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives or sustained injuries.

“Smart motorways must be as safe or safer than regular motorways, or we shouldn’t have them at all. That is why we are undertaking this evidence review, so we can make recommendations based on the facts.”

A report on smart motorway safety was also released this week by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Roadside Rescue & Recovery, which is chaired by former transport minister Sir Mike Penning who originally approved the roll out of smart motorways.

It calls for the deployment of all lane running to be halted until existing schemes demonstrate an improvement in safety over traditional motorways and a reduced rate of live lane breakdowns. It also urges additional emergency refuge areas and stopped vehicle detection systems to be retrofitted to existing smart motorways.

Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT said:

"Recent concerns surrounding smart motorways highlight many of the complexities associated with these motorways. CIHT has always maintained that improving road safety should be based around engineering, enforcement and education. Whilst we welcome the on-going review by Highways England, we believe that several factors would give users of smart motorways greater confidence and re-assurance whilst driving on them. These include; installation and use of appropriate technology, clear and accurate communication with drivers, greater understanding of smart motorways by customers and guidance on how we should safely use them and appropriate spacing of refuges would all help."

Road Haulage Association chief executive Richard Burnett commented: “Smart motorways undoubtedly increase capacity but they are not as safe as they should be.

“Panorama made it very clear that many motorway users have no idea what smart motorways are – let alone understand how they work. This is extremely worrying. It’s essential that safety improvements include an effective system of road user education.”

(Photograph: Highways England)