YOUR VIEWS
WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com
Government advisor
I would like to share a letter I posted to transport secretary Grant Shapps:
Dear Sir, I agree with your concern about the dangers of smart motorways. My proposal to markedly reduce the number of fatalities is simple. Coincidental with the introduction of smart motorways has been the placement of Armco barriers adjacent to the nearside border of the motorway. These prevent any stricken vehicle from getting off the motorway. Such barriers should be moved away from the motorway by a lane’s width thereby enabling any stricken vehicle to take refuge on the verge that would then be accessible.
This would be possible on the vast majority of the length of motorways, exceptions being typically under bridges and on flyovers. In most weather conditions vehicles would not become bogged down on such verges, but if they did, the nearside lane could safely be closed for their removal without loss of life.
The prospect of a stricken driver longingly looking over one of these barriers in their current position, to the safety of the ground beyond while his vehicle is trapped in the hell of a live lane would then be removed.