Plans for new smart motorways will be cancelled, delivering on the Prime Minister’s summer campaign pledge, this includes the M3.
New smart motorways – including the 11 already paused from the second Road Investment Strategy (2020 to 2025) and the 3 earmarked for construction during the third Road Investment Strategy (2025 to 2030) – will be removed from government road-building plans, given financial pressures and in recognition of the current lack of public confidence felt by drivers.
Initial estimations suggest constructing future smart motorway schemes would have cost more than £1 billion and cancelling these schemes will allow more time to track public confidence in smart motorways over a longer period.
Steve Brine MP said; “This is the right decision and one we have been arguing for. The review has, to some extent, complicated matters around Junction 9 which can now proceed without this in play. The question I will be asking now in Parliament is, if new smart motorways are not safe, why are they staying in place for the M27 or even for the M3 south of Winchester where the hard shoulder is temporarily missing while the central reservation works take place.”
he government and National Highways continue to invest £900 million in further safety improvements on existing smart motorways.
This includes progressing plans on installing 150 extra emergency areas across the network in line with the commitments made in response to the Transport Select Committee, as well as further improving the performance of stopped vehicle detection technology on every all lane running smart motorway.
The government will also continue to give motorists clear advice when using existing smart motorways.
