Why smart motorway safety changes don’t go far enough – Yorkshire Post Letters

IT’S not surprising that so many motorists want the hard shoulder re-introducing to so-called “smart” motorways (The Yorkshire Post, September 15) when they recall the deplorable number of deaths that have occurred on these lengths of road.

New reasons to scrap smart motorways before more lives lost – The Yorkshire Post says

Just before the pandemic, the figures were revealed and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a series of measures to improve the situation. I don’t see much evidence in our part of the world.

“Driver education” was one topic under discussion. This has amounted to a few A4 ads strategically placed in men’s toilets at service areas advising us to “Go Left, Left..” in event of a breakdown (as if there’s anywhere else you might have gone).

And as for the promised increase in the number of laybys, or emergency refuge areas as they are rather pompously described, there were a mere two on the seven-mile stretch of the “smart” M1 between Leeds and Wakefield – and it’s still only two.

As winter approaches, I don’t see any improvement in the safety of this kind of road taking place.

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