The government should reduce speed limits instead of introducing smart motorways, the Green Party has said.
Responding to news that MPs have accused the Department for Transport for ignoring safety concerns about all lane running [1] Caroline Russell, London Assembly member and transport spokesperson for the Green Party, said the government should instead reduce speed limits to increase capacity.
Russell said:
"Using the hard shoulder as a running lane on motorways makes no sense. The AA report [2] of broken down cars being rear ended while stranded between emergency lay-bys is a perfect illustration of the dangers posed by all lane running on so-called ‘smart motorways’.
"If the government wants to increase the capacity of existing roads it would do far better to stick to reducing speed limits, cutting the stopping distance needed between cars. This would allow more cars to use the road, reduce the likelihood of crashes and avoid the need for ‘death-zone’ lay-bys."
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