Sunak: I’ll put the brakes on smart m-ways
RISHI Sunak will ban new smart motorways if he becomes prime minister under plans to ‘stop the war on motorists’.
The Tory leadership contender said his government would stop pursuing policies ‘that go against common sense’ – as he branded the hated smart motorways unsafe.
In January, following a Daily Mail campaign, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ordered about 100 miles of smart motorway projects to be paused until more safety data is available.
But another 100 miles are still going ahead. Vehicles often become marooned in live traffic on these roads where hard shoulders have been turned into an extra lane.
Mr Sunak has pledged to ban any new smart motorways, and ensure that all the existing roads are improved by investing in extra emergency refuge areas and technology to identify stopped vehicles.
He has also promised to review low-traffic neighbourhoods – to ensure emergency services can travel easily – and clamp down on rogue private parking fines.
The former chancellor also vowed to prioritise reducing the cost of electric vehicles, and ensure rural communities are not left behind in the installation of electric vehicle charging points.
Mr Sunak said he would order the transport and energy secretaries to work with the National Grid to identify areas where the infrastructure cannot cope with additional usage, and resolve the problem. He would also work with local authorities on any changes required in national planning guidance to support the availability of rural charge points.
Mr Sunak said last night: ‘The UK is a passionate driving nation because driving provides freedom. While transport in this country needs to get greener, that doesn’t mean it has to be at the expense of driving cars.
‘We need to stop making life difficult for the vast majority of people across the UK who rely on a car as their primary source of transport to healthcare, employment, and other essential day to day things.’
He added: ‘Smart motorways are unpopular because they are unsafe. We need to listen to drivers, be on their side and stop with the pursuit of policies that go against common sense.
‘As chancellor I introduced the largest cut to fuel duty in a generation, and as prime minister I will go further so that we stop the war on motorists once and for all.’
Data shows there were 53 deaths on smart motorways in the four years to 2019 with at least 18 blamed to some degree on the roads.
Last night a spokesman for Mr Sunak hailed the Daily Mail’s campaign for better safety on smart motorways.
They said: ‘The Mail has led the way in campaigning to ensure that no new smart motorways are built.
‘It’s clear that the British public has lost confidence driving on a motorway without a hard shoulder.
‘As a result of these worries, drivers are diverting on to much less safe local roads. It’s time to put this experiment to bed and say no more new smart motorways.’
A report earlier this year found that smart motorways without a hard shoulder are three times more lethal to break down on than those that retain the safety lane.
The National Highways analysis also found that the likelihood of such crashes resulting in minor injuries was nearly two-thirds higher on those roads without a safety lane.
‘It goes against common sense’