Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Smart Motorways

Thursday 11 March 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Highways England is delivering its plan for 2020 to 2025, with sets of all-lane running motorway schemes being delivered over the current road investment period.
  • The government has committed 500 million to ensure smart motorways are as safe as possible.
  • The M1 stretch between junctions 32 and 35A saw an average of 68 breakdowns a month in live lanes after its conversion to a smart motorway.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham
Transport
Context

Highways England is delivering plans for converting stretches of motorway to smart motorways, with a commitment of £500 million.

Question

What plans does the government have to convert additional stretches of motorway to smart motorways?

Answer from Grant Shapps

Highways England is delivering its plan for 2020 to 2025, with sets of all-lane running motorway schemes being delivered over the current road investment period. We have committed £500 million to ensure these motorways are as safe as possible.

Answered
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Q2 Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham
Transport
Context

The M1 between junctions 32 and 35A has seen an average of 68 breakdowns per month since its conversion to a smart motorway, compared to no serious incidents in the hard shoulder before the conversion.

Question

Since its conversion to a smart motorway, the 10-mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 and 35A has seen an average of 68 breakdowns a month in live lanes. Each of these incidents has the potential to end in a tragedy. By contrast, in the three years prior to its conversion, not a serious incident occurred in which a vehicle was struck on the hard shoulder. When will the Government stop gambling with the lives of motorists and abandon these dangerous, ill thought out death traps?

Answer from Grant Shapps

I congratulate the hon. Lady for all her campaigning on this subject, and she knows that I share her passion. When I spoke to her a year ago today to explain the 18 different steps involved in the smart motorways stocktake, she warmly welcomed that work. Smart motorways have been under development since 2001 under the Blair-John Prescott Government. I think I am the first Secretary of State in 12 to carry out the stocktake and review, and I will not rest until these motorways are as safe as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked when the government would stop developing smart motorways due to safety concerns, but the response did not address halting further development or setting a deadline for addressing these issues.

How: Congratulating The Hon. Lady, Referencing Previous Discussions

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