First reported 14 Oct 2019•Latest report 18 Apr 2023
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes deficiencies in the provision, spacing, availability or suitability of emergency refuge areas or equivalent refuge arrangements on dynamic hard-shoulder or smart-motorway sections where stranded vehicles cannot safely leave live running lanes.
Not included
Excludes stationary-vehicle detection, warning, response or rescue failures where emergency refuge provision is not itself deficient.
Excludes general smart-motorway design, traffic-management, signage or hard-shoulder concerns that do not materially concern the availability or adequacy of emergency refuge space.
Excludes ordinary roadside breakdown, vehicle-maintenance or driver-behaviour failures unrelated to the motorway refuge arrangement.
Excludes conventional motorways or road sections where the asserted concern is not the provision of emergency refuge for vehicles stopped in live lanes.
Reports
5
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
7
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2019–2023
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
18
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
National Highways5
Department for Transport1
National road infrastructure body5
Ministerial department1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Northamptonshire
Concerns raised1
Absence of a safe stopping place on all-lane-running smart motorways
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Action
Install over 150 additional emergency areas on operational and construction all-lane-running motorways, subject to governance.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 20 April 2023.
Action
Consider retrofitting further emergency areas when formulating the 2025–30 Road Investment Strategy, based on evidence of potential benefits.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 20 April 2023.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
A hard shoulder would not eliminate collision risk; emergency areas provide a safer relative place to stop during emergencies.
Stated by National HighwaysDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Berkshire
Concerns raised1
Lack of refuge or hard shoulder for stranded vehicles on smart motorways
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Deliver a £390 million programme installing additional emergency areas across operational smart-motorway sections.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 22 March 2022.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
The incident occurred under temporary roadworks traffic management, not on a completed all-lane-running smart motorway.
Stated by National HighwaysDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
No additional actions are considered necessary in response to the concerns about hard-shoulder removal.
Stated by National HighwaysNo action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.
Bedfordshire and Luton
Concerns raised1
Absence of a hard shoulder or other safe stopping place on the all-lanes-running motorway
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
Action
Apply the new emergency stopping-place spacing standard to newly designed smart motorways.
Stated by National HighwaysStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Action
Monitor the effect of additional M25 emergency areas on live-lane breakdowns.
Stated by National HighwaysStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Action
Develop safety-measure delivery programmes for the M6 Bromford viaduct and four M1 sections, including the incident location.
Stated by National HighwaysStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Action
Install additional emergency areas where needed on the existing smart-motorway network.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Action
Complete safety risk assessments to guide possible widening of narrow emergency areas.
Stated by National HighwaysStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Action
Complete the programme to widen emergency areas narrower than the current standard.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 8 March 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Position
Although absence of hard shoulders increases collision risk, all-lane-running motorways reduce overall risks and result in fewer deaths than conventional motorways.
Stated by National HighwaysDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
South Yorkshire (Western)
Concerns raised1
Risk posed by the absence of a hard shoulder on smart motorways
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.9
Action
Retrofit stopped vehicle detection across all existing all-lane-running smart motorways.
Stated by National HighwaysStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Increase traffic officer presence and reduce attendance times on specified smart motorway sections.
Stated by National HighwaysStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Apply the new emergency-area spacing design standard to newly designed smart motorways.
Stated by National HighwaysStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Install and monitor ten additional emergency areas on the M25.
Stated by National HighwaysStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Upgrade existing smart motorway emergency areas with bright orange surfacing and marked stopping areas.
Stated by National HighwaysStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Install additional signs showing distances to emergency stopping places.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Complete safety risk assessments for narrow emergency areas to guide potential widening.
Stated by National HighwaysStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Widen emergency areas narrower than the current standard.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Action
Explore the feasibility of a national programme to retrofit additional emergency areas.
Stated by National HighwaysStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 26 January 2021.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Position
Highways England is responsible for addressing the points raised about smart motorway safety.
Stated by Department for TransportRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Evidence indicates smart motorways improve overall safety, with reductions in other risks outweighing the increased risk associated with absent hard shoulders.
Stated by National HighwaysDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised3
Lack of retreat space beside the elevated M6
Restricted ability for vehicles to pull fully out of the live lane
Gap in emergency refuge areas on the M6 near junctions 5 and 6
This report raised 7 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes deficiencies in the provision, spacing, availability or suitability of emergency refuge areas or equivalent refuge arrangements on dynamic hard-shoulder or smart-motorway sections where stranded vehicles cannot safely leave live running lanes.
