Reinstatement, please

Anna Ellis UK Drivers and the RAC are calling for the hard shoulder to be reinstated on existing all ‐ lane ‐ run ‐ning smart motorways.

Seven ‐ in ‐ 10 drivers (69 per cent) want the hard shoulder to be reinstated on the 235 miles of exist ‐ing all‐lane‐running smart motorways, regardless of the government claiming it would be too disruptive and costly, according to new research by the RAC.

The RAC believes this week’s decision to scrap 14 all ‐ lane ‐ running schemes needs to be quickly followed by the reinstatement of hard shoulders as this is clearly what a majority of drivers are expecting.

Anything less will be seen as a poor excuse which could lead to more lives being needlessly lost on these controversial motorways, with just 31 per cent of drivers saying the hard shoulder should not be restored.

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “While we’re pleased, the gov ‐ernment reached the same conclusion that many drivers already have by cancelling future smart motorway schemes which would have seen around dozens more miles of hard shoulder disappearing forever.”