Surrey and Thames Valley drivers worst for ignoring smart motorway lane closed signs

Vehicles pass a sensor on a road that has been converted into a smart motorway Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

More than 53,000 incidents of drivers ignoring lane closed signs on smart motorways have been recorded since 2021, according to new research.

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, which conducted the study, said it demonstrates the Government must give “serious thought” about the future of the roads.

Adherence to red X signs is critical to safety on smart motorways which had their hard shoulder converted into a live running lane.

National Highways staff switch on the closed lane signs when stopped vehicles are detected in live lanes to prevent them being hit from behind and to help and protect the emergency services.

Red X signs are common on smart motorways and indicate the lane is closed. Credit: ITV Meridian

Since September 2022, all police forces have been able to use enforcement cameras to prosecute motorists who illegally pass under a red X or enter a lane beyond one of the signs.

This can result in a fine of up to £100 and three penalty points, or more severe penalties and a court appearance in some cases.

Figures obtained by IAM RoadSmart following Freedom of Information requests to police forces revealed 4,393 incidents were recorded in 2021, rising to 20,773 in 2022 and 28,231 in 2023.

Between 2021-23 inclusive, Surrey Police topped the table with 11,360 drivers caught committing Red X offences along stretches of the M3, M23 and M25 – the latter being Britain’s busiest motorway.

Thames Valley Police had the second highest volume with 9,957 motorists being snapped by cameras over the same period.

The Red X is often used to close lanes on a smart motorway when an obstruction such as a broken-down vehicle is detected in the road ahead. Credit: ITV Meridian

Meera Naran, whose eight-year-old son Dev died in a smart motorway crash on the M6 near Birmingham in May 2018, said: “In an emergency, every second counts.

“The red X provides a layer of safety for the public, emergency services, recovery operators and road workers.

“An incident can occur on any lane of the motorway and lanes are closed for a number of reasons.

“When in operation and abided by, this could save a number of lives, including your own.”

IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes said: “Ignoring a red X sign on a smart motorway is dangerous because it risks a serious collision and, for this reason, we welcome police forces clamping down on those who break the law.

“The majority of drivers have serious reservations about the safety of smart motorways where the hard shoulder has been removed, and these figures are unlikely to persuade them they are safe.

“We know that no new all-lane running smart motorways will be built but it does beg the question of what we do with the existing stretches that are in operation?

“This is something the new Government needs to give some serious thought to.”

Smart motorways without a hard shoulder were created to increase capacity at a lower cost than widening roads.

Then-prime minister Rishi Sunak cancelled all future planned smart motorway projects in April last year, citing financial pressures and a lack of public confidence in the roads.

This led to calls for the hard shoulder to be reinstated on existing smart motorways.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “A Red X signal is there to increase the safety of everyone using the road by highlighting an issue ahead.

“Above 90% of drivers observe Red X signals, but ignoring Red X signals is an offence and puts themselves and others at risk.”

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