Story perspectives

UK Campaigners Demand Safety Reports on Smart Motorways

1/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Campaigners and motoring groups in United Kingdom press the government to release safety assessments of smart motorways withheld since 2022.
Smart motorways convert hard shoulders into live lanes, raising safety concerns after fatal incidents.
The Department for Transport says the reports will be published soon and argues smart motorways are statistically safe.
Claire Mercer, a campaigner whose husband died in an accident, calls for transparency and restoration of hard shoulders.

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Story summary

Campaigners and motoring groups in United Kingdom press the government to release safety assessments of smart motorways withheld since 2022.
Smart motorways convert hard shoulders into live lanes, raising safety concerns after fatal incidents.
The Department for Transport says the reports will be published soon and argues smart motorways are statistically safe.
Claire Mercer, a campaigner whose husband died in an accident, calls for transparency and restoration of hard shoulders.