UK Ministers Urged to Release Withheld Smart Motorway Safety Reports

Campaigners, motoring organisations, and bereaved families in the United Kingdom are intensifying pressure on government ministers to publish a series of delayed safety reports on smart motorways, a controversial road-management system that has sparked widespread safety concerns from drivers and road-user advocates.

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The calls come as some evaluations date back several years without official publication, igniting fresh debate over the safety of these major arterial roads.

Smart motorways, sections of motorway where the hard shoulder is converted into a live traffic lane to increase capacity have been a source of ongoing controversy since their introduction.

Critics argue that removing the hard shoulder, especially on busy high-speed routes, deprives motorists of a vital refuge during breakdowns or emergencies, potentially increasing the risk of severe collisions.

Transport campaigners and motoring groups such as The AA have urged the Department for Transport (DfT) and National Highways to release a series of Post-Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports that assess safety outcomes and operational performance on smart motorways since 2022.

These reports are understood to contain critical safety and infrastructure data, but remain unpublished, prompting demands for transparency.

Government officials told The Guardian that the reports have been submitted and are undergoing review before release, but critics argue that delays in publication are eroding public confidence and preventing meaningful safety discussions.

Recent surveys and analyses reflect growing unease among motorists. For example, an AA poll found that a significant portion of drivers feel less safe on smart motorways particularly those without permanent hard shoulders than on conventional motorways with clear refuge lanes.

Many respondents cited anxiety about breaking down in a live traffic lane and slow emergency response as key concerns.

Safety advocates stress that when technology fails to detect stopped vehicles or to close lanes swiftly, the absence of a hard shoulder can significantly raise the danger for stranded drivers and emergency personnel.

The UK government has paused the rollout of new smart motorway schemes since a 2020 stocktake but has continued to upgrade existing sections with additional safety features, such as improved detection systems and emergency refuge areas.

Officials maintain that, statistically, smart motorways remain among the nation’s safest major roads when viewed across broad accident data.

However, campaigners argue that raw safety statistics may mask situational risks encountered by everyday users, especially where stopped vehicle detection systems perform below optimal levels or when emergency refuges are spaced too far apart.

Bereaved families, including those who have lost loved ones on smart motorways, are prominent voices in the push for report release.

These groups argue that full disclosure of safety data is essential for public trust and for informed policy decisions about the future of motorway design.

Motoring organisations also warn that without transparent safety evaluations, the debate over smart motorways will continue to be clouded by speculation and distrust, rather than grounded in evidence that can shape effective reforms.

Smart motorways cover hundreds of miles of England’s motorway network and serve as key transport arteries for freight, commuters, and long-distance travel.

Ensuring that these roads are operated with maximum safety, reliable detection technology, and accessible emergency infrastructure is crucial for reducing collisions and protecting road users.

The delayed safety reports are seen not just as technical documents, but as foundational evidence that could drive policy decisions affecting millions of motorists who regularly use the UK’s strategic road network.