Britain To Halt 'Smart Motorways' Rollout For 5 Years: Transport Secretary
NDTV
Britain's government, however, maintain that smart motorways "are comparatively the safest roads" but said it would carry out more safety tests before making them operational
Britain will pause the rollout of new "smart motorways" for five years while it gathers safety data on those already operational, following criticism that they are dangerous, the government announced Wednesday.
Campaigners and the high-selling tabloid the Daily Mail have led resistance against the high-speed roads, in which variable speed limits are introduced and the hard shoulder is used as a normal lane, unless it is required by emergency vehicles or a broken down vehicle.
Signs above the road tell motorists which lanes are in use.
The government, in announcing the pause, maintained that smart motorways "are comparatively the safest roads in the country in terms of fatality rates", but said it would carry out more safety tests before considering their future.
