Is the Smart Motorway name being changed?

[Jon39]

I simplify the description of Smart Motorways, and just refer to them as 'motorways without hard shoulders'.

LBC's Nick Ferrari has stated, The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State for Transport, confirmed to him during a live broadcast, that no new Smart Motorway construction will now proceed.
Even though we still see new works in progress, do you think that could technically be factually correct, because I sense the Smart Motorway name is being dropped and replaced by a new name?

On the M4 between Maidenhead and Reading, construction work has been going on for some time. There are a few signs which refer to a new Digital Motorway.

Could a Digital Motorway, be a motorway without a hard shoulder?
Therefore a new name for Smart Motorways.
The stationary vehicle related deaths continue on Smart Motorways, so perhaps Traffic England think a new name will stop continued criticism for a while.

[Riley Blue]

You think that's pointless? At the government's behest, Highways England is to change its name to National Highways - at a cost of £7 million - just five years after the last re-branding.

[ridds]

Some sections of "Smart Motorways" are anything but smart.

The number of times I've driven round the M25 and the daft Variable Speed Limit on the gantries (which is predominantly software controlled) has stuck up random 20mph limits straight from a 70mph limit is ridiculous and just down right dangerous.

That, combined with "Pedestrians in road" or "Animals in carriageway" for 25 odd miles. Just makes the entire system a bit of a joke.

I'm not sure if the newer sections with full flood IR and Doppler Radar are any better as I don't get to drive those section much (M25 ACW from Junction 7).

[Jon39]

ridds said:

Some sections of "Smart Motorways" are anything but smart.

One section of 'Smart' motorway' which makes me nervous during darkness, is the M25 between Junction 6 Godstone and 5 Sevenoaks.

It is now an unlit, 4 lane motorway without any hard shoulders.
Travelling towards the east, means ending miles of driving on a well lit road, then suddenly entering complete blackness. Using full beam headlights is disrespectful, so forward visibility becomes limited. Unlikely, but if there were to be a stationary vehicle ahead, maybe the most likely position would be in lane 1. Perhaps it would be safer after dark to drive in lane 2.

The classic circumstance is where several vehicles are travelling together, in line at a steady speed. The leading driver suddenly spots an unexpected obstruction and swerves, the second driver then has less time to react, but just manages to steer around the obstruction. The third driver now has even less time to react and collides with the obstruction.

[yellowjack]

Jon39 said:

One section of 'Smart' motorway' which makes me nervous during darkness, is the M25 between Junction 6 Godstone and 5 Sevenoaks.

It is now an unlit, 4 lane motorway without any hard shoulders.
Travelling towards the east, means ending miles of driving on a well lit road, then suddenly entering complete blackness. Using full beam headlights is disrespectful, so forward visibility becomes limited. Unlikely, but if there were to be a stationary vehicle ahead, maybe the most likely position would be in lane 1. Perhaps it would be safer after dark to drive in lane 2.

The classic circumstance is where several vehicles are travelling together, in line at a steady speed. The leading driver suddenly spots an unexpected obstruction and swerves, the second driver then has less time to react, but just manages to steer around the obstruction. The third driver now has even less time to react and collides with the obstruction.

OK. I'll bite.

That circumstance has got nowt whatsoever to do with "smart" motorways. It's simply that stupid fknuggets can't count as high as two, and routinely fail to think for themselves, blindly following the car ahead without making space for them to see beyond the vehicle ahead. It's just as much of an issue on fast SC roads as on motorways. And when combined with a pathological aversion to using indicators when passing, it's the one thing, as a cyclist, that scares me about riding on SC roads.

To be honest, two seconds isn't enough at 70 mph in the dark. Once within 4 seconds of the car ahead, you should really be planning to be in another lane anyway. Either drop back and maintain a safe space in which to observe and read the road ahead, or gtf into the lane to your right and get an overtake done. I can't bear being close behind another vehicle on any road. It's as much about losing the freedom to decide when to brake and when to accelerate as much as it is about safety. Too many people ride the brakes too much, for instance, and brake too heavily into bends. I find if I leave more space between me and the car ahead, I can decide for myself whether or not it's prudent to brake for a bend or keep my foot in. I know this is wandering away from the motorway question, but when the hard shoulder has gone you really need to re-assess how you approach your driving on it, because it's not really a motorway anymore...

[Riley Blue]

yellowjack said:

OK. I'll bite.

That circumstance has got nowt whatsoever to do with "smart" motorways. It's simply that stupid fknuggets can't count as high as two, and routinely fail to think for themselves, blindly following the car ahead without making space for them to see beyond the vehicle ahead. It's just as much of an issue on fast SC roads as on motorways. And when combined with a pathological aversion to using indicators when passing, it's the one thing, as a cyclist, that scares me about riding on SC roads.

To be honest, two seconds isn't enough at 70 mph in the dark. Once within 4 seconds of the car ahead, you should really be planning to be in another lane anyway. Either drop back and maintain a safe space in which to observe and read the road ahead, or gtf into the lane to your right and get an overtake done. I can't bear being close behind another vehicle on any road. It's as much about losing the freedom to decide when to brake and when to accelerate as much as it is about safety. Too many people ride the brakes too much, for instance, and brake too heavily into bends. I find if I leave more space between me and the car ahead, I can decide for myself whether or not it's prudent to brake for a bend or keep my foot in. I know this is wandering away from the motorway question, but when the hard shoulder has gone you really need to re-assess how you approach your driving on it, because it's not really a motorway anymore...

But...but... is the Smart Motorway name being changed?

[yellowjack]

Riley Blue said:

But...but... is the Smart Motorway name being changed?

I can't answer that. But it bloody-well ought to be changed. Preferably to "Due to the removal of the hard shoulder, this road is no longer a motorway. It's been downgraded to a dual carriageway, so you should reduce your expectations and amend your driving style appropriately."

Although I think we need to find a somewhat catchier title...

[Mr Tidy]

yellowjack said:

Riley Blue said:

But...but... is the Smart Motorway name being changed?

I can't answer that. But it bloody-well ought to be changed. Preferably to "Due to the removal of the hard shoulder, this road is no longer a motorway. It's been downgraded to a dual carriageway, so you should reduce your expectations and amend your driving style appropriately."

Although I think we need to find a somewhat catchier title...

Surely Sh*te motorway fits the bill pretty well! Only because "no longer fit for purpose" is a bit of a mouthful, and an admission of ineptitude!

When I go from GU47 to SM1 I can get there quicker on A roads than on the M3 and M25 so motorways seem totally pointless, even in the supposedly congested South East! And I don't have to endure the misery of the concrete section of the M25.

Use A roads if you can - for now there seem to be fewer cameras!