New ‘red X’ smart motorway rule for drivers is ‘concerning’
Drivers have been warned over a “concerning” shake-up in red X rules on smart motorways.[1] Ashley Neal, who runs a YouTube channel, warns National Highways has implemented a concerning new lane closure rule on smart motorways, devised as a measure to support stricken vehicles. He explained: “One of my viewers sent me a little note about a video by another YouTuber called Greg. “He is a recovery driver who had an incident where he was[2] recovering a vehicle that was broken down and trying to re-join [the live lanes].
He got on the SOS phone to National Highways and what they do is just put a ‘move right’ arrow and only use a red ‘X’ if people aren’t compliant.” Previously, when a fixed vehicle wants to return to the motorway from an ERA, National Highways would put a red ‘X’ symbol in the closest lane, making it an offence for others to drive in it. However, recently, a growing number of road users who have broken down on a smart motorway have found that the organisation now puts a sign asking people driving in the outer lane to move right when possible.
Ashley said: “I personally think that this change in policy is the single most stupid thing I’ve heard in many years, and I have to bring this to people’s attention as you are being put at risk by a policy that I literally don’t understand, I do not see the benefit of it.
“Is it so they do not have to deploy a traffic officer to that particular area? I don’t know, I’ve got no idea why they’ve done it. If you’ve broken down on a smart motorway, you’ve got to be super careful because you’re not going to have that lane shut.”
Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards, 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. “If a lane is closed on smart motorway, it usually indicates there is either a stranded vehicle ahead, people are working in the road, or there has been a collision. Disobeying the sign puts the lives of those in the vehicle as well as those ahead in danger.
If you see a Red X sign, you should slow down and move into an open lane when there is sufficient space to do so. “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.”
References
- ^ shake-up in red X rules on smart motorways. (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ “He is a recovery driver who had an incident where he was (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^