MPs debate motorway safety as hard shoulder concerns grow

The Highways Agency has drawn up plans for two stretches of motorway, one between junctions 32 and 35a in South Yorkshire and a second between junctions 39 and 42 near Wakefield.

Road safety chiefs and senior members of the emergency services have already warned the idea could lead to more accidents, but agency highways engineers claim the move will reduce risks.

Now both Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, and Meg Munn, who represents the city’s Heeley constituency, have spoken of concerns over the 10.6-mile South Yorkshire stretch which carries 110,000 vehicles a day.

Earlier this year, the Yorkshire Post revealed South Yorkshire’s road safety partnership, which includes 99 services, councils, NHS and other public bodies, had “significant safety concerns”.

Similar schemes have been implemented elsewhere, but so far no other motorway has had the hard shoulder altered to become a traffic lane 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week as proposed.

Mr Betts said one concern was that the so-called managed motorway, all-lane-running idea was being used because it was cheaper than other schemes, like the M42, where the hard shoulder is only used at peak times, adding: “It is clear that all the local experts have considerable reservations about the safety aspects of the Government’s proposals. It is disingenuous of the Highways Agency to point to the success of a scheme on the M42 when it knows full well that there are very significant differences between that scheme and the one proposed for the M1.

“Even the Highways Agency has confirmed that there is a huge increase in the risk of collisions arising from stationary vehicles in a situation where there is no longer the increased protection offered by a hard shoulder.”

The Highways Agency has admitted that the risk of collisions with stationary vehicles would increase by 200 per cent under its idea, but counters that with predictions that all other risks would reduce significantly.

But Mr Betts said he was “not satisfied” with the Highways Agency response and said he had written to South Yorkshire’s chief constable David Crompton, who confirmed that negotiations on the scheme were continuing, adding: “I have written to the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, asking him to give an absolute personal assurance that this scheme will not get the go-ahead if there is any increased risk to motorists and a reduction in safety as a result of it.

“It would be extraordinary if the Government were intending to proceed with a scheme where the likely results would include increased road casualties and increased danger to local police and highways staff. If some extra investment is required to ensure that we have a safe and successful scheme, then it is incumbent upon the Secretary of State to secure it.”

Ms Munn said that while she welcomed managed motorways schemes where they eased congestion, reduced journey times and increased safety, she also wanted to see changes to the 24/7 hard shoulder running idea.

Speaking ahead of today’s adjournment debate on the subject, which will be held in Westminster Hall, she said: “The proposals for the M1 outside Sheffield are very different to existing schemes in places elsewhere.

“These just make use of the hard shoulder in rush hours and alert drivers to dangers ahead using overhead signage. The plan for junctions 32 to 35a is to use the hard shoulder all day, every day and use roadside signage, instead of overhead signs. This has never been tried before and experts agree it will reduce road safety not improve it.

“If a car breaks down late at night on the former hard shoulder, passengers and drivers don’t stand a chance. There will be nowhere for them to move quickly and safely, especially when visibility is poor or where the motorway is unlit.

“South Yorkshire Police has said if introduced in its current state these changes will cost lives. . There is no need at all for these proposals outside of rush hours, and think again”