Man charged over M1 smart motorway crash which killed two drivers

A man has been charged over a crash near Sheffield in which two drivers died on a controversial stretch of 'smart' motorway.
By Grace Newton
Published 7th Jul 2020, 14:17 BST
Updated 7th Jul 2020, 14:18 BST
Jason Mercer, 44, died in the crash and his widow Claire is campaigning against smart motorwaysJason Mercer, 44, died in the crash and his widow Claire is campaigning against smart motorways
Jason Mercer, 44, died in the crash and his widow Claire is campaigning against smart motorways

Jason Mercer, 44, from Rotherham, and Alexandru Murgeanu, 22, were killed when they were struck by a lorry after they had got out of their own vehicles to exchange details following a minor collision on the M1 near Tinsley Viaduct in June 2019.

Jason's widow Claire Mercer and their local MP, Sarah Champion, asked the government for a review into the 'all lanes running' policy on smart motorways after it emerged that he and Alexandru had been in a hard shoulder that was open to all traffic when they were hit.

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Review of smart motorways announced after tragic death of Rotherham man Jason Mercer

Hull man Prezemyslaw Zbigniew Szuba, 40, has now been charged with two counts of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Mr Szuba will appear before Sheffield Magistrates Court in September 2020.

Highways England chief executive Jim O'Sullivan later told the government's Transport Select Committee that smart motorways with a hard shoulder only used at busy times are "too complicated for people to use".

He said the agency does not intend to build any more 'dynamic' smart motorways because too many motorists do not understand them.