Sarah Champion MP Statement on Government Decision to Pause Smart Motorway Rollout

“While I welcome the decision to pause the rollout of new smart motorways, existing schemes remain fundamentally unsafe.’

‘These deadly schemes should never have been commissioned without proper safety data in place.’

‘Despite this welcomed U-turn from the Government, the reality is that they pressed ahead with a rapid rollout in the face of serious concerns from motoring organisations, campaigners and Members of Parliament.’

‘Tragically, the inevitable result of the Government ignoring evidence on safety of smart motorways has been needless deaths.’

‘Investment in improved safety technology will not remove the colossal risk to motorists the Government have created. The fact remains that motorways without the permanent hard shoulder will always risk cars becoming stranded in live lanes with potentially catastrophic results.’

‘I was deeply disappointed and confused that the Transport Select Committee accepted the Government’s view that reintroducing the hard shoulder could increase risks for motorists, based on little more than the word of ministers.’

‘I remain firmly of the view that reverting motorways to traditional operation, with permanent hard shoulders in place, is the only reasonable course if safety is truly the Government’s priority.’

‘There is no option to increase capacity on the cheap that doesn’t gamble with the lives of motorists and I will continue to campaign for these lethal roads to be abandoned.”