'Smart' Motorways.

[geared 318]

yesterday we saw another example of a stranded vehicle perched on the side of the motorway where there was no hard shoulder and the limit was still 70mph. It was on the south bound M1 about a mile north of Woodall services. A small van was there, we assume it`d run out of fuel because a few hundred yards further on we saw a chap walking down to Woodall service with a fuel can in his hand. It was lagging it down whilst he was walking with vehicles flying past his right ear at 60 to 70mph, not knowing if his van would be smashed up upon his return

 

Sorry but if you run out of fuel there you probably deserve your van to be smashed up on your return, he couldn't be more than a couple of miles past the J31 exit.

 

If there weren't any warning signs up it indicates not only did he stop on the motorway, but then didn't phone the police to tell them what he'd done.

The Emergency refuge point and the Emergency Telephone is located less than a mile from Woodall Services.

[DT Ralge 10]

Sorry but if you run out of fuel there you probably deserve your van to be smashed up on your return, he couldn't be more than a couple of miles past the J31 exit.

 

If there weren't any warning signs up it indicates not only did he stop on the motorway, but then didn't phone the police to tell them what he'd done.

The Emergency refuge point and the Emergency Telephone is located less than a mile from Woodall Services.

 

That's plain wrong.

There's nothing wrong in phoning to alert the authorities but one of the main features of a smart m/w (that has passed you by?) is the cctv coverage of every metre of the m/w - you must have passed the van at the time prior to the Highways Agency spotting it and putting up the "stranded vehicle" sign.

The HA suggests this is possible within 20 seconds to 2 minutes of an event.

Personally, I wouldn't fancy being anywhere near the stranded vehicle for up to 2 minutes, though.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Having travelled a fair bit round our motorways, the "smart" bit on the stretch round us is seriously lacking in signs compared with other places.

[ihpb 10]

I have seen the left lane open during congestion on the M62 and was amazed that the speed limit was 60mph. Someone is going to die soon if they haven't already. Junction 24 and 25 on the M62 are ridiculous with traffic queuing on the motorway for a mile and lorries with a differential speed of 60mph from the left lane to where they thundered past in lane 2. If it is congested then it should be a max speed of 40mph in the left lane.

 

The Tinsley viaduct will remain two lanes because of pollution as far as I know

[geared 318]

The Tinsley viaduct will remain two lanes because of pollution as far as I know

 

It's a weight restriction isn't it?

The viaduct isn't strong enough to carry more traffic.

[truman 10]

I have seen the left lane open during congestion on the M62 and was amazed that the speed limit was 60mph. Someone is going to die soon if they haven't already. Junction 24 and 25 on the M62 are ridiculous with traffic queuing on the motorway for a mile and lorries with a differential speed of 60mph from the left lane to where they thundered past in lane 2. If it is congested then it should be a max speed of 40mph in the left lane.

 

The Tinsley viaduct will remain two lanes because of pollution as far as I know

 

How does having the same number of vehicles using 2 lanes reduce the pollution there would be if 3 lanes were in use? Genuine question..

[Justin Smith 10]

I don`t know if it`s just co-incidence but we've been seeing a lot more undertaking on the 4 lane (no hard shoulder) M1, some of it is horrendous. I must say I have more sympathy with drivers using the second lane out as their default running lane than I would if there was a hard shoulder on their left. I have considered doing this because I don`t want to run the risk of hitting a stranded car. This could happen if it was dark or it`s hidden by a large vehicle in front etc. At minimum you may have to do an emergency stop (possibly get hit up the rear end) or swerve out into the second lane.

On balance I`ve decided to use the inside lane as a default (assuming I can be in it for a reasonable length of time), but, unlike on a conventional motorway with a hard shoulder, I`m not happy about it.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Justin Smith

[nightrider 13]

Dunno..that's why I asked for the stats..how many people killed in live lane breakdown and how many on hard shoulder..?

 

Interesting report here:

 

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmtrans/63/63.pdf

 

It mentions a report on the safety implications seen from the scheme on the M25 will not be released until 2017 (when they finish collecting the data).

 

It also mentions (point 31) 28% of RAC members could not make it to one of the emergency refuges when they broke down, and that both the AA and RAC refuse to attend breakdowns in a live lane (even if a red X is present) due to the danger, unless a physical barrier to protect them is put in place.

 

Point 54 mentions a fatality on the M25 thought to be caused by being caught dead in the water in a live lane, because there was no hard shoulder to use.

 

It also mentions DfT officials have justified the increased risk, on the basis that they have reduced risk in other areas so there is no overall increase. The report mentions that it is questionable to increase the risk in one area, just because you reduced it elsewhere.

[geared 318]

The thing I see the most is people sitting in the third lane, it seems like if you automatically sit in the middle lane on a 3 lane motorway then you should get yourself into lane 3 on these new smart jobbies.

[Justin Smith 10]

Interesting report here:

 

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmtrans/63/63.pdf

 

It mentions a report on the safety implications seen from the scheme on the M25 will not be released until 2017 (when they finish collecting the data).

 

It also mentions (point 31) 28% of RAC members could not make it to one of the emergency refuges when they broke down, and that both the AA and RAC refuse to attend breakdowns in a live lane (even if a red X is present) due to the danger, unless a physical barrier to protect them is put in place.

 

Point 54 mentions a fatality on the M25 thought to be caused by being caught dead in the water in a live lane, because there was no hard shoulder to use.

 

It also mentions DfT officials have justified the increased risk, on the basis that they have reduced risk in other areas so there is no overall increase. The report mentions that it is questionable to increase the risk in one area, just because you reduced it elsewhere.

 

Now that is very very interesting...... Does that even apply on the M42 (more [clearer] gantry signs) and when a 50mph limit is in place ? If so I think that may be going a little too far. What do the AA or RAC expect the poor unfortunate motorist to do ?

Edited November 1, 2016 by Justin Smith

[nightrider 13]

Now that is very very interesting...... Does that even apply on the M42 (more [clearer] gantry signs) and when a 50mph limit is in place ? If so I think that may be going a little too far. What do the AA or RAC expect the poor unfortunate motorist to do ?

 

It says the authorities will remove the car at the owners expense. So they won't be stranded, but they won't be happy to find out they now have to pay for the privilege for being removed from danger.

 

" The level of breakdowns not reaching a refuge area is particularly concerning when one considers that both the AA and the RAC, dominant gures in the breakdown recovery industry, will not attend breakdowns in a live lane, even if that lane is closed with a Red X, unless there is a physical barrier.36 As Prospect told us in written evidence, this can lead to a statutory recovery being used, where regulatory powers are used to remove the vehicle from the highway at the driver’s expense.37 In a written answer to a parliamentary question, the Department for Transport con rmed that there were 592 incidents involving recovery on the sections of motorway using All Lane Running in 2015.38 is was the highest number of incidents involving recovery since Highways England took on Tra c O cer duties in 2007."

[rudds1 102]

I have seen the left lane open during congestion on the M62 and was amazed that the speed limit was 60mph. Someone is going to die soon if they haven't already. Junction 24 and 25 on the M62 are ridiculous with traffic queuing on the motorway for a mile and lorries with a differential speed of 60mph from the left lane to where they thundered past in lane 2. If it is congested then it should be a max speed of 40mph in the left lane.

 

The Tinsley viaduct will remain two lanes because of pollution as far as I know

 

 

I would not be too sure about the 2 lane situation as I've noticed on the north bound side it's now been marked out in to 3 lanes over the viaduct