Smart motorways stocktake second year progress report 2022

Organisation: National Highways

Date of Publication: May 2022

Uploaded to Knowledge Centre: 24 May 2022

In March 2020, transport secretary Grant Shapps set out an action plan to ensure smart motorways ‘are as safe as possible’, following an evidence stocktake.

This second year progress report outlines the work National Highways has delivered over the past 12 months to achieve the recommendations included within the plan.

The report shows that over the last year, National Highways has:

• Installed more than 330 additional signs so that by the end of September 2022 drivers will almost always be able to see a sign informing them of the distance to the next place to stop in an emergency.

• Worked to put stopped vehicle detection (SVD) technology in place on over 100 miles of ALR motorway, and is on track to complete the roll out of SVD on more than 200 miles (in total) of ALR motorway by the end of September 2022.

• Upgraded 96% (92) of enforcement cameras on smart motorways to enable them to be used, and enforced by the police, to detect vehicles passing under a Red X or entering a lane beyond a Red X. By the end of September 2022, National Highways will have completed its commitment of upgrading 95 cameras.

• Introduced the automatic display of ‘report of obstruction’ messages on electronic overhead signs, which are triggered by SVD alerts, across 13 motorway sections. This message warns approaching drivers of a stopped vehicle up ahead.

• Worked with DfT and Driver and DVSA to enable The Highway Code to be updated and published on 14 September 2021. This will help improve driver understanding and confidence when driving on a motorway.

Click the following link to read the full report:

https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/uivj2zem/smart-motorways-stocktake-second-year-2022.pdf