Thank you for contacting me about smart motorways.
There are currently three forms of smart motorway in the UK. These are ‘Controlled’ which retain the hard shoulder; ‘Dynamic Hard Shoulder’ (DHS) where the hard shoulder is used at peak times; and ‘All Lane Running’ (ALR) where the hard shoulder is permanently removed.
As of August 2022, there were 429 miles of smart motorways, of which 287 miles are without a permanent hard shoulder. Smart motorways without a permanent hard shoulder (ALR/DHS) currently make up six per cent of the Strategic Road Network.
In April 2023, it was announced that new smart motorways, including the 11 already paused from the second Road Investment Strategy (2020 to 2025) and the three earmarked for construction during the third Road Investment Strategy (2025 to 2030), are to be removed from Government road-building plans in recognition of the current lack of public confidence felt by road users.
The Government has already been acting to improve the safety of the existing smart motorway network, with a stocktake ordered in 2020. Furthermore, £900 million is being invested to equip the smart motorways with stopped vehicle detection, enforcement cameras, additional signs and 150 additional emergency areas.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.