Home Page › Forums › Discussions › General independent garage chat › Drivers no longer need hard shoulders, says Highways England
- This topic has 8 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 8 months ago by Nick Smith.
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Kate ThompsonModerator
With smart motorways improving the flow of traffic by removing hard shoulders, Matt Pates, who manages the East Midlands division of Highways England,
[See the full post at: Drivers no longer need hard shoulders, says Highways England]Eddie BamberGuestIs this man deluded ?. Vehicles may be mire reliable, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get punctures, run out of fuel or overheat. I’ve seen it all as a breakdown Patrol for over 30 years. Hard shoulders are not the safest of places, but I’d rather be on one of them than in a live lane. Motorists often ignore the lane closed signs. Hard shoulders were put there for a reason. Perhaps Mr Pates might change his mind if he broke down on a ‘smart’ motorway.
Stuart downGuest? is this a highways England bubble what a complete moron, or maybe it was my imagination when I saw 4 breakdowns on the m25 across just 3 junctions at the weekend
Peter MilesGuestMadness. I’ve never made a reasonable M way journey without seeing at least one vehicle on the hard shoulder and, especially at holiday times, usually many!
Clare CoxGuestWhat an arrogant, narrow minded view!!! Smart roads and smart vehicles cannot prevent a puncture, a blowout on a lorry, and nor can they prevent an accident! How does this person expect ambulance, police and fire service to reach the scene of an RTC, multiple pile up, overturned lorry or caravan, causing miles of tailbacks, if there is no hard shoulder? Lives will be lost!!
GeorgeGuestNothing Smart about a Smart motorway.
Its dumb & dumber.
LampyGuestThe man is a complete moron who I suspect only ever drives a desk.
Andrew MacCredieGuestIm Sorry but what complete rubbish.
What happens when there is an accident and the emergency services need to get through?? What happens when people get punctures and run out of fuel? (More common now with electric vehicles) I have seen first hand vehicles smashed up on the carriageway because there is no where to go. Hard shoulders may be inhospitable but they are somewhat safer than a live carriageway!
Nick SmithGuestVehicles maybe more reliable but unfortunately drivers are not. Hard shoulders are not redundant places, I drive up and down the motorway most days and there is always someone stranded at the roadside.
Also there are always the unexpected breakdowns, lack of fuel, puncture etc.
Smart motorways are neither smart, nor do they ease congestion, if anything then make the problem worse.
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