Two thirds of Britons think smart motorways are LESS safe than normal ones with hard shoulders and 57% are opposed to their use entirely, reveals YouGov poll

Two thirds of Britons think smart motorways are less safe than normal ones with hard shoulders and 57 per cent of people are opposed to their use entirely, a YouGov poll has revealed. 

The latest findings come just days after Dr Alan Billings, Police Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire, wrote to the Government saying the abolition of the hard shoulder should be 'abandoned' before more people die, branding them 'inherently unsafe'. 

The poll found 64 per cent of Brits agree with Dr Billings's claims that smart motorways are not as safe, while only seven per cent believed they were safer.

Thirty-eight people have been killed on smart motorways over a five-year period, the BBC reported last year.

A YouGov poll revealed two thirds of Britons think smart motorways are less safe than normal ones with hard shoulders

Last year the BBC reported thirty-eight people have been killed on smart motorways over a five-year period. PIcture: Stock

There are currently more than 20 sections of 'smart motorways' on seven different motorways 

Of those polled, the over 65s were found to be the most opposed to the use of smart motorways, with eight in ten saying they were less safe compared to traditional motorways. 

More than half (57%) of Britons said they opposed the use of smart motorways in Britain, with 34 per cent of those expressing that they were 'strongly opposed' to the concept. 

Opinions on their use are somewhat divided, with a quarter of those polled stating they supported smart motorways.  Only six per cent said they strongly support their implementation. 

Young people were much more split on the issue, with 38 per cent going against Dr Billings's views and supporting the motorways and a further 27% claiming they didn't know if they supported them or not. 

A whopping 79 per cent of over 65s said they were against them 

In a letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Dr Billings accused Highways England of trading 'driver safety for lower costs' and using 'flawed' logic to justify smart motorways, The Telegraph reports.   

It was sent just days after a coroner ruled that the deaths of two men on the M1 near Sheffield was in part due to turning the hard shoulder into a live lane.

Over 65s were found to be the most opposed to the use of smart motorways, with eight in ten saying they were less safe compared to traditional motorways.

More than half (57%) of Britons said they opposed the use of smart motorways in Britain

Claire Mercer's husband Jason died on the M1 along with delivery driver Alexandru Murgeanu, 22. Following an inquest into her husband's death, Dr Alan Billins wrote to the government saying the abolition of the hard shoulder should be 'abandoned' before more people die

Sheffield coroner David Urpeth said the lack of a hard shoulder contributed to the deaths of Mr Mercer (pictured with Claire) and Mr Murgeanu

Mr Urpeth said the primary cause of deaths of Mr Mercer and Mr Murgeanu in June 2019 was the careless driving of lorry driver Prezemyslaw Szuba 

The inquests into the 'unlawful killings' of Jason Mercer, 44, and Alexandru Murgeanu, 22, heard that smart motorways present an 'ongoing risk of future deaths'.

Dr Billings wrote in his letter: 'I think the coroner's verdict makes it imperative now to abandon this type of motorway before more lives are lost.' 

He says he attended a meeting with Highways England in January last year to 'discuss road safety', claiming they 'sought to persuade me that smart motorways were as safe if not safer than the usual type of motorway'. 

Dr Billings said he believes their conclusion was arrived at through 'flawed' arguing, and it was not 'helpful' to compare collisions or deaths on the two types of motorway. 

Awful toll of roads where drivers who break down have no escape 

NARGIS BEGUM

The grandmother, 62, died after her broken down car was hit on the M1 in South Yorkshire in 2018.

Mrs Begum was being driven by husband Mohammed Bashir, 67. They left their Nissan Qashqai to wait for help but another car hit the vehicle, sending it into her.

A pre-inquest review hearing in December was told that warning signs on the motorway had not been activated in time to stop drivers entering the lane where the couple had broken down.

A coroner is considering referring Highways England to the Crown Prosecution Service in what would be a landmark case.

DEV NARAN

The eight-year-old was killed on the M6 in Birmingham in 2018 after his family's car became stranded on a hard shoulder being used as a live lane.

At the inquest into the youngster's death, coroner Emma Brown expressed concerns about the 'risk to life from the loss of the hard shoulder'.

After the inquest his mother Meera, from Leicester, said that without changes, she believes smart motorways 'still continue to pose threats to lives on a daily basis'.

SEVIM AND AYSE USTUN

Sevim Ustun, 49, and mother-in-law Ayse Ustun, 68, died after their family car broke down on the M25 in Essex in 2018 and was struck by a lorry.

Overhead gantry signs did not close the lane or warn of a broken down vehicle. A ten-year-old girl also suffered life-changing injuries. Police were urged to prosecute Highways England for corporate manslaughter.

DEREK JACOBS

The retired engineer, 83, was killed after pulling up when his car had tyre problems on the M1 in north Derbyshire in 2019.

His Volkswagen Crafter van came to a halt in the first lane of the motorway, formerly the hard shoulder. It was hit by a Ford Ka, which was then struck by a coach.

His widow Sally said: 'If there had been a hard shoulder, my husband would still be alive.'

He added: 'The relevant test for us is whether someone who breaks down on this stretch of the motorway where there is no hard shoulder, would have had a better chance of escaping death or injury had there still been a hard shoulder - and the coroner's verdict makes it clear that the answer to that question is: ''Yes''.' 

Highways England has been 'seduced by false comparisons' to increase the number of lanes and aid traffic flow at a lower cost than if a hard shoulder had been built, Dr Billings claims. 

He says that while travelling on the M1, 'anxiety and tension' are increased due to fears of breaking down in a live lane with heavy goods vehicles approaching from behind at speed.  

According to the Department for Transport report, data for the first nine 'all-lanes-running' schemes – where a hard shoulder is turned into a fourth lane – showed deaths on the carriageway rose from an average of zero to 2.8 per year.

Figures for overall collisions in live lanes rose more than six-fold from an average of three per motorway to 19.

Meanwhile, serious crashes rocketed more than 23 times from 0.3 per year to seven, and slight collisions almost quadrupled, from 2.3 to 9.1. 

The figures are believed to relate to sections including those on the M1, M6 and M25.

In the 2019 Stocktake and Action Plan report, which used Highways England data, the DfT claimed the 'risk of a collision involving a vehicle stopped in a live lane remains relatively small' and overall accident figures for the roads reduced because of the elimination of hard-shoulder collisions.

The report recommended an 18-point action plan to improve safety. 

Last week, Coroner David Urpeth warned smart motorways present 'an ongoing risk of future deaths' as he gave verdicts of unlawful killing at an inquest. 

He ruled the lack of a hard shoulder had contributed to the deaths of Jason Mercer, 44, and Alexandru Murgeanu, 22.

The men were struck by a lorry after they had stopped to exchange details following a minor collision on the M1 near Sheffield in June 2019.

The HGV driver, Prezemyslaw Szuba, was jailed for ten months for causing death by careless driving last October.

Mr Mercer's widow Claire, 44, said: 'Smart motorways are a lot easier to turn off than they were to turn on. Just switch them off and stop killing people.'

Mrs Mercer, from Rotherham, is calling for police to investigate Highways England after the coroner said her husband could have survived a crash on the M1 if there was a hard shoulder. 

Mr Mercer, a contracts manager from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, had just joined the northbound carriageway at junction 34 at around 8.15am when he caused a minor collision with Mr Murgeanu's delivery van.

Instead of driving to the nearest 'refuge' area a mile on, both drivers stopped on the inside lane. This decision was described as 'unwise but understandable' by the coroner at Sheffield Town Hall.

The van was parked behind the car with its hazard lights on.

The pair exchanged details and were standing between the two vehicles – rather than safely behind the crash barrier – when a lorry smashed into the van, killing both men instantly.

Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Mercer said: 'After more than a year and a half of campaigning I today feel that somebody has listened and finally taken steps to address the use of these death trap roads.

'Ever since Jason died I have been determined to bring about change to ensure more families don't go through the heartbreak of losing a loved one by the completely nonsensical removal of hard shoulders on busy motorways, without adequate safeguards being in place.'

Eight-year-old Dev Naran (pictured with his mother Meera Naran) was killed on the M6 in Birmingham in 2018 after his family's car became stranded on a hard shoulder being used as a live lane

Mr Mercer (left, Claire) and Mr Murgeanu died when a lorry ploughed into their stationary vehicles on the M1 near Sheffield on June 7, 2019

Mrs Mercer warned that further tragedies would follow unless immediate action was taken.

'Can you imagine the absolute horror of being on a motorway having broken down with no dedicated safe area to pull into and with vehicles hurtling towards you?

'Equally, can you imagine being a driver who, like the man driving the lorry which crashed into Jason and Alexandru, suddenly sees a stranded vehicle in their path? Imagine living with the thought of killing somebody. It's horrendous.

'We are humans. We make mistakes on the roads and we need somewhere to get safe. We have taken a first step today to protecting the lives of others. For that I am delighted.'

Others who have been killed include grandmother Nargis Begum, 62, who died after her broken down car was hit on the M1 in South Yorkshire in 2018

Mrs Mercer's solicitor, Neil Hudgell, called for a public inquiry.

Several others have been killed on smart motorways, including grandmother Nargis Begum, 62, who died after her broken down car was hit on the M1 in South Yorkshire in 2018.

Mrs Begum was being driven by husband Mohammed Bashir, 67. They left their Nissan Qashqai to wait for help but another car hit the vehicle, sending it into her.

Eight-year-old Dev Naran was killed on the M6 in Birmingham in 2018 after his family's car became stranded on a hard shoulder being used as a live lane.

At the inquest into the youngster's death, coroner Emma Brown expressed concerns about the 'risk to life from the loss of the hard shoulder'.   

Smart motorways are controversial because cars that break down can be marooned in fast-moving traffic. They have refuge areas where drivers can stop every mile or so.

There are around 500 miles of them in England, including sections of the M1, M4, M5, M6, M25 and M62. 

Highways England said one in 12 motorway deaths happened on hard shoulders. There have been 44 deaths on smart motorways in total. A spokesman said: 'We are determined to do all we can to make our roads as safe as possible...'

A Department for Transport spokesman said smart motorways are in most ways as safe as or safer than conventional ones.  

Smart motorway Q&A 

What is a smart motorway?

Smart motorways involve a range of methods to manage traffic flow, most controversially using the hard shoulder as a live running lane. Refuges where drivers can stop are placed every mile or so. Variable speed limits are also used.

How many are there?

Motorways with sections where the hard shoulder has been removed include the M1, M4, M5, M6, M25 and M62. The smart network stretches to around 500 miles in England, with an additional 300 miles planned by 2025.

What are the benefits?

Smart motorways are designed to increase capacity without the more disruptive and costly process of widening carriageways.

But are they safe?

Concerns have been raised about incidents where stopped vehicles are hit from behind. Highways England has insisted smart motorways are 'at least as safe as, or safer than, the conventional motorways they replaced'. But a survey of drivers by the RAC found 70 per cent felt removing the hard shoulder on motorways compromised safety.

How many have died?

BBC Panorama in January last year found that at least 38 people had died on stretches of smart motorways over the previous five years.

What do officials say?

An 'evidence stocktake' published by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last March stated that the risk of a collision between moving vehicles is lower on smart motorways than conventional motorways. But the chance of a crash involving a moving vehicle and a stationary vehicle was found to be higher when the hard shoulder was removed. An 18-point action plan included more refuges for emergencies and faster rollout of a radar-based system to spot stranded vehicles.

Are smart motorways used in other European countries?

The vast majority of motorway-style roads in Europe have a permanent emergency lane.