Citing a recent experience behind the wheel, coach driver columnist Drive shares his opinion of smart motorways – and asks whether others feel the same
Last month, I had a job from the Surrey area to Dartford, which involved coming back about two hours later. On the return journey, I joined the M25 at junction 2 clockwise, intending to exit the M25 at junction 15. On my approach to junction 6, the matrix signs over the carriageway were displaying “Report of Debris on Carriageway,” coupled with the advisory 50mph speed limit signs.
Continuing on, I saw that there was minimal traffic on the anti-clockwise carriageway.
Slowing my speed down, I saw in the distance, flashing blue lights and flashing orange lights. Due to ‘rubber neckers’ and the advisory 50mph speed limit, I to had to slow down as I passed the incident.
As I drove by the incident, I noticed that there was a recovery vehicle in the outside lane (lane 4), a damaged vehicle behind that, two police cars and an ambulance. A few hundred yards behind these vehicles, was a solitary police car forming a road block across all four lanes.[wlm_nonmember][…]
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Continuing on, in the queue of traffic, some way back from the start of the road block, and in the outside lane, there was a police car stationary, and a paramedic immediately behind the police car. Both of these vehicles had their blue lights displayed, but were unable to get through the stationary traffic. Again, continuing on, there were two other police vehicles, another ambulance, all with their blue lights being displayed, but not being able to get through. Having passed the incident, on the overhead matrix signs, the national speed limit was being displayed, and a clear road ahead. The standing traffic on the anti-clockwise carriageway was past junction 7 towards junction 8.
At this point of the M25 it is ‘upgraded’ to ‘smart motorway’ with emergency lay-bys. The first lane that was the hard shoulder is now part of the motorway, as is the M3 between junction 2 and 4a, M25 to Farnborough/Camberley.
Based on my experience, I believe smart motorways are extremely dangerous and will cost lives. There is nowhere safe for a broken down vehicle. There is nowhere for the emergency services to get through, as is what happened in my experience. Emergency vehicles used to be able to use the hard shoulder to get through, but not now. Nobody knows how to drive on the smart sections of any motorway. These motorway sections should revert back to being a hard shoulder to allow broken down vehicles reasonably safe areas and more importantly, allow emergency vehicles safe and reasonably quick access to an incident on the motorway.
Digressing slightly to the M3 smart motorway section, between junction 2 and 4a, the inside lane, the new lane 1, all it is in effect is a glorified, elongated, entry slip road and exit slip road. Whenever I traverse the M3 between these junctions, it may be wrong, I don’t know, I stay in lane 2 of the four lanes. This is to allow vehicles joining the motorway and exiting the same to do so safely. If I have to exit the motorway between these junctions, I move over to lane 1 in preparation to leave the motorway. There are lay-bys for emergency use only, but you cannot always get into them.
Yes, my views on the smart motorway system are that they are extremely dangerous with no safety margin. Whoever thought of this system should be locked up and have the key thrown away. They will have blood on their hands.
My views are my own and I am sure that there are many other PCV drivers and motorists who feel the same way. I believe we should let common sense prevail and get back to the motorway system that was a lot safer than these smart motorways.[/wlm_ismember]
