Looks like the government are taking the issues with smart motorways seriously, adding extra refuges and getting rid of ‘dynamic’ hard shoulders.
tallyman:
Looks like the government are taking the issues with smart motorways seriously, adding extra refuges and getting rid of ‘dynamic’ hard shoulders.
I’d still maintain the problem with smart motorways is a lack of smart people
Jimmy McNulty:
tallyman:
Looks like the government are taking the issues with smart motorways seriously, adding extra refuges and getting rid of ‘dynamic’ hard shoulders.I’d still maintain the problem with smart motorways is a lack of smart people
Smart people don`t use motorways, end of.
M6 through birmingham back to 3 lanes is going to be hell.
Time to remove the toll on the other road.
SuperMultiBlue:
M6 through birmingham back to 3 lanes is going to be hell.Time to remove the toll on the other road.
Thats all they had to do in the first place, but its too easy that…
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Dynamic hard shoulder. It’s not hard is it. If it says hard shoulder for emergency only it’s not a live lane. If it’s got a speed restriction above it then it’s a lane. Perhaps they could have a red x displayed on every gantry to make it obvious when it’s not a lane. Getting rid of them and going back to permanent 3 lanes seems a bit extreme when they could experiment with clearer signage that’s idiot proof first.
Seems to be support for the much-criticised bean counters going on here. The suits have had a look at the figures and compared the expected number of fatal RTCs attributable to no hard shoulder with the cost to the economy of each fatal, and then related that to the cost to the economy of reverting to redesignation of the extreme left lane to hard shoulder use only.
The answer is obviously overwhelmingly in favour of the oh-so-urgent business deal meeting (actually what is really important is that chef’s special - sea bass in chicken gravy - is off the menu at 1400.), and the urgent delivery of 27 tonnes of sprocket wobbler grommets (urgent because the finance director vetoed the warehouse extension and sold off the land - to compensate for his previous balls ups - gaining him a fat little bonus) .
So we are going to see lip service to the problem based purely on cost, meaning 3/4 mile gaps where only one extra safety refuge is needed but otherwise one mile between refuges.
What should be concerning HGV drivers is mentioned in this old report - the inability to get a recovery vehicle and a Class one vehicle into one of these refuges safely. But then we ain’t bothered 'cos it’ll be the poor sod who runs into the back of us who is killed, we’ll be quite safe won’t we?
publications.parliament.uk/pa/c … /63/63.pdf
Edit: add commas.
Spot on Cav, another whitewash.
No street lighting for refuges, lip service paid to the shortage of and length of refuges, but we’ll paint them orange instead of yellow and put up a couple more signs that no bugger will be able to see anyway past the sea of wagons blocking the view ahead.
Pie in the sky ■■■■■■■■ about radar systems detecting a broken down vehicle in 20 seconds instead of 20 minutes currently (after the terrified not as agile as she once was granny has phoned in that she’s stuck in the car in the pitch dark) and HA bods wearing their underpants on the outside will swoop to the rescue in a mere fraction of the time it now takes them, without speeding and in increasing traffic volumes, yeah that adds up.
Inquiry produced the right result Henry, well done here have a knighthood.
If they end the dynamic hard shoulder then both the M42 and M62 will go back to the standstill misery they were 10 years ago. Sure even with the hard shoulder running they’re not free flowing but at least you’re still moving, not sat there so long with the handbrake on you can almost get a 15 minute break in.
Tude:
Jimmy McNulty:
tallyman:
Looks like the government are taking the issues with smart motorways seriously, adding extra refuges and getting rid of ‘dynamic’ hard shoulders.I’d still maintain the problem with smart motorways is a lack of smart people
Smart people don`t use motorways, end of.
Right 
Conor:
If they end the dynamic hard shoulder then both the M42 and M62 will go back to the standstill misery they were 10 years ago. Sure even with the hard shoulder running they’re not free flowing but at least you’re still moving, not sat there so long with the handbrake on you can almost get a 15 minute break in.
Doesn’t the report state that dynamic hard shoulder sections will be replaced by all lane running to avoid confusion.
BossHogg:
Conor:
If they end the dynamic hard shoulder then both the M42 and M62 will go back to the standstill misery they were 10 years ago. Sure even with the hard shoulder running they’re not free flowing but at least you’re still moving, not sat there so long with the handbrake on you can almost get a 15 minute break in.Doesn’t the report state that dynamic hard shoulder sections will be replaced by all lane running to avoid confusion.
As I understand it, yes.
It will be either permanent hard shoulder, or permanent all lane running.
Where it is all lane running, refuges will be closer together and ‘other measures’ improved.
I don’t think I’ll have to worry about patrolling smart motorway, they’re too far away from my old fashioned stretch in leafy ■■■■■■■■ 