These drivers risk colliding with stranded vehicles and stop emergency service vehicles from getting through
Highways England has commissioned a new study looking at how many drivers continue to use a closed lane despite it showing a ‘red X’ on the gantry.
Their study found that up to 20% of motorists are choosing to ignore the ‘red X’ sign on smart motorways and continue to drive in the lane despite it being closed, potentially risking a collision with a stranded vehicle and slowing emergency service vehicles down that need to get through.
The government-owned company is responsible for looking after the UK’s motorway network and major ‘A’ roads and discovered that up to a fifth of smart motorway users are choosing to ignore the warning sign and continue to drive in a closed lane.
Smart motorway gantries like this one display a ‘red X’ when the lane is closed but 20% of motorists think it’s okay to ignore them! © Copyright Bill Boaden and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
The engineering firm Atkins analysed the M25 between Junctions 5 & 7 and 23 & 27 between May 2014 and April 2017. What the firm discovered was that whilst collision rates had in fact improved since the removal of the hard shoulder, around 14 drivers every minute are driving illegally in a closed lane.
Overall, the average rate of ‘red X’ offences have increased by 4% to 6% on the northern section of the M25.
To catch these offenders, the Home Office are currently in the process of certifying ANPR cameras. Motorists caught driving in a closed lane of a smart motorway will be issued with penalties once these come into force.
However, until this certification is approved, Highways England are having to send out around 100,000 warning letters to motorists caught in a closed lane by gantry cameras.
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