I started seeing this displayed on motorway matrix signs a few days ago, now they’ve started putting ads on the radio. The cynic in me thinks there have been a few near misses on these ‘smart’ motorways and the powers that be are worried about a major incident.
Nothing to do with smart motorway hard shoulder running and everything to do with the massive amount of plebs who drive past them on ordinary motorways.
Given we’ve had smart motorways for a decade now with no reported accident caused because of hard shoulder running that I can recall then I don’t think its the issue.
Sure.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the majority of drivers on the road, did not have pass a driving theory test, and that smart motorways are a relatively new in the UK. Added to that, there is nothing lazier than a person that doesn’t have to do something, like continue to keep up to date with the highway code.
Personally I am very glad for those signs saying this, and the ones that say “keep left unless overtaking”. Far more useful than “don’t drop litter”. They might just help to jog the memories of a couple of day dreamers on the road.
Conor beat me to it. But my thoughts are the same.
The cynic in you would be wrong 
It’s been an issue for years before ‘smart’ motorways but the advancement of technology with Hadecs 3 cameras and the related authorisations from DfT means they can start Red x enforcement similar to red light traffic cameras.
Letters may start dropping through letterboxes 
Letters may start dropping through letterboxes
Better change their information announcements on the radio if that’s going to be the case. At the minute they say “move left/right If safe to do so”.
F-reds:
Better change their information announcements on the radio if that’s going to be the case. At the minute they say “move left/right If safe to do so”.
Maybe if drivers are caught going through 2,3 or 4 red gantry X’s in succession though…
Kaistar:
Maybe if drivers are caught going through 2,3 or 4 red gantry X’s in succession though…
Yes. They can track you on average speed cameras for 15 miles so why not if you run through a red X
That’s normal on M62 between Bradford and Leeds and other way. I live in BD but work in Leeds and see it regular, they stay on hard shoulder as they know it turns into a lane further on
im glad they told me that, i thought red x was something you put in your engine to clean it out. 
All this would be fine if you could trust any matrix signs. So often limits are placed on them and lanes closed for no apparent reason or they give you a 3 mile warning that a something happened and has cleared up 30 mins ago.
Conversely, I am interested in the development of peoples driving habits on the M42. So often there is no limit placed - which I take to mean the lane is open - but people are still using the HS.
I would hope someone is taking responsibility to ‘inform’ drivers as to how to use these new sections of motorways and not use the confusion to start generating income for the exchequer!
Plambert:
I would hope someone is taking responsibility to ‘inform’ drivers as to how to use these new sections of motorways and not use the confusion to start generating income for the exchequer!
If they don’t know that a red light means STOP, they shouldn’t really be behind the wheel! Why do drivers need to be informed? It’s always been the case irrespective of when you passed your test.
dcgpx:
That’s normal on M62 between Bradford and Leeds and other way. I live in BD but work in Leeds and see it regular, they stay on hard shoulder as they know it turns into a lane further on
Yeah, I see it too quite a lot. Wish they wouldn’t do that 
"If they don’t know that a red light means STOP, they shouldn’t really be behind the wheel! Why do drivers need to be informed? It’s always been the case "irrespective of when you passed your test
As far as I am aware it means land closed and not Stop!
The nitpicking aside the point I was trying to make is that you don’t need to drive a lot on the motorways of this country to realise the matrix signs cannot be trusted and this quickly breeds scepticism.
easier doing it the way it is over here…drive at whatever speed your driving at…completely ignore and disregard any gantry sign,then howk it into the nearest free lane when your running into the cones or into the back of the truck with the big flashing arrow on the back 
…seems to work well when everybody does it.
There is a problem with the red x means lane is closed instruction, and that is that these signs need to be aimed at the lowest common denominator! So what you are getting is a normal 3 lane motorway with no matrix lights lit up so some chimp sees that there is no red x being displayed and assumes because he used the h/s in that location yesterday and as there is no x being displayed then surely it is ok to use it now?
If we’re gonna have these smart roads then imo the red x should be displayed permanently (except when h/s running obviously), not just when the other matrix lights are on.
If that makes sense? It did in my head anyway. 
The M42 is unbelievable for car drivers undertaking in the hard shoulder when the lane isn’t open, I see it so often.
MikeDBristol:
The M42 is unbelievable for car drivers undertaking in the hard shoulder when the lane isn’t open, I see it so often.
The same goes for the muppets in LGV’s who DON’T use the hard shoulder when it IS open… Junctions 10/11/12, M1 n/b and s/b in particular, but not exclusively.
In their defence, however, they might not have seen the not-too-small-or-bright overhead signs that say: “congestion, use hard shoulder”.
And not forgetting such as where the n/b M1 joins the A1M and the “kings of the road” metaphorically break their necks to move into lane 2, completely missing the fact that there’s over a mile before the A64 splits off! And I’d love a £ for every lorry I see that move into the 3rd lane of the A1M prior to joining the M1 traffic 
Bless…