'Smart Motorways'

[ACWKGYTO]

Sent to ruin our lives or perhaps make them safer....revenue collectors !?

I know through my own experience there is a section near Stafford on the M6

Does anyone know where other sections are !?

 

[Crazyfool]

M62, M3, there’s plans for the M4 near London and the M1 I think. I’m sure there’s more. Best place to look is here.

http://roads.highways.gov.uk/regions/all-regions/?postcode=&keywords=&roads=&status=PLANNED


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[Charlie Farley]

Since the M3 had these so called smart improvements there have been more accidents per week than ever before, not as safe as they suggest then.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Since the M3 had these so called smart improvements there have been more accidents per week than ever before, not as safe as they suggest then.

Why cant they just leave things alone !

 

[Mcblow]

Since the M3 had these so called smart improvements there have been more accidents per week than ever before, not as safe as they suggest then.

Could still be to do with the muppets on the road, so many people don't know how to use the motorway correctly, i do quite a lot of miles so see plenty of bad driving, if people used the lanes properly and moved over when approaching slip roads as well as less use of mobile devices we'd see less accidents, unfortunately i can't see things improving unless the police impose harsher penalties for poor driving, and that will no doubt only increase the number of illegal drivers, its part of life these days unfortunately

 

[Crazyfool]

It’s an interesting one. The concept is new and like everything, people need to the time to understand it, get to grips with the process and adhere to it. Failure on any one of these can lead to an accident.

Then not everyone is technology savvy. Things are being pushed through technology more and more, but is everybody able to keep up to speed with it? How many of us see regular adverts on the TV saying this is a smart motorway and this is what you need to do? Or think about going onto Twitter or the Highways England website to see the pop ups on the do’s and don’ts of motorway driving?

Did you see the recent incident where a lorry drove into the back of a stationary car; both drivers were prosecuted. The lorry driver was done for not being observant , etc and the car driver for not ensuring there was sufficient fuel in the vehicle before joining the motorway.

Smart motorways are supposed to relieve congestion and provide a safer passage for drivers. I wonder what’s going to happen in 30 to 50 years time when the smart motorway sections start to become too congested. The conventional approach is to widen or provide a bypass, but if you are going to widen a smart motorway section, there’s a tonne of technology to be removed initially.

Unless Highways England have already thought about that and have a plan up their sleeve, of course.


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[oli356]

Can't say I dislike nor prefer smart motorways.

There is an accident almost everyday it seems on the M4 near Reading (give or take a few junctions), causing lane closures etc... It's hard to imagine it can get any worse!

I will probably be complaining in a few years when they have made it into a smart motorway.... (2022 estimated)

 

[DrEskimo]

For those that can be bothered, here is the report that analysed data from the M42 Smart Motorway trial that was set up in 2006. This is the main basis for using Smart Motorways across the country.

http://assets.highways.gov.uk/speci...-programme/HCG-HRG_264763_001b_V2__2_.doc.pdf

Since the M3 had these so called smart improvements there have been more accidents per week than ever before, not as safe as they suggest then.

I've looked and I can't see any data on the M3? Do you have the link?

 

[Crazyfool]

Managed motorways is slightly different to smart motorways but they are one of the same.

The managed motorway section of the M42 is absolutely riddled in hardware and although it works, Highways England soon realised the maintenance of all the equipment was a major upkeep. So when they changed from MM to SM it was decided the amount of hardware had to be rationalised, which is why the likes of the M3 and M4 are a different arrangement.

A good write up on smart motorways can be found here - https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/all-you-need-to-know-about-smart-motorways/




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[Crazyfool]

Can't say I dislike nor prefer smart motorways.

There is an accident almost everyday it seems on the M4 near Reading (give or take a few junctions), causing lane closures etc... It's hard to imagine it can get any worse!

I will probably be complaining in a few years when they have made it into a smart motorway.... (2022 estimated)

The problem with this section of the M4 is junction 13 to London is heavily congested in the morning, particularly around the junctions. The issue is compounded by the sun rising, normally in the line of sight. If people don’t adjust their speed to suit, it increases the likelihood of an accident. To make matters worse, on the return journey in the evening the sun again settles through the line of sight.

I must admit the M4 isn’t as fast as the M40 into London, but the speed of most vehicles on this section is around 80-85mph. It’s a lot quicker than further west 13.


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[oli356]

The problem with this section of the M4 is junction 13 to London is heavily congested in the morning, particularly around the junctions. The issue is compounded by the sun rising, normally in the line of sight. If people don’t adjust their speed to suit, it increases the likelihood of an accident. To make matters worse, on the return journey in the evening the sun again settles through the line of sight.

I must admit the M4 isn’t as fast as the M40 into London, but the speed of most vehicles on this section is around 80-85mph. It’s a lot quicker than further west 13.


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Fortunately i don't have to travel on it for my commute, but can occasionally feel the impact off the motorway when the m4 is struggling.

I have done the commute to Reading from Heathrow though at sunset and at times it is blinding and traffic is 40/50mph.

Generally I find it to be a quick motorway though compared to say the M25, the average speed seems higher.