Urgent smart motorway warning after more than 50,000 Brits slapped with fines totalling £5.3MILLION for ignoring signs
BRIT drivers have been warned over ignoring a common road sign on smart motorways – which over 50,000 such incidents recorded since 2021.
New research reveals that 53,000 smart motorway users have been caught illegally entering or passing in a lane under a red X.
Drivers can face fines of up to £100 and receive three penalty points for this offence.
In some cases, more severe penalties and even court appearances may occur.
Figures from IAM RoadSmart show that 4,393 incidents were recorded in 2021, 20,773 in 2022, and a staggering 28,231 in 2023.
Obeying red X signs is vital for safety on smart motorways, where the hard shoulder has been converted into a live running lane.
National Highways activate the closed lane signs when a stopped vehicle is detected in live lanes to prevent collisions and to protect emergency services.
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.
We welcome police forces clamping down on those who break the law
Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards
“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 were introduced by the coalition government in 2014 with the intention of speeding up the flow of traffic.
But they were removed from government road-building plans in 2023 due to the lack of confidence felt by drivers and financial pressures.
What happens on a smart motorway?
Highways England gives the following advice when driving on a smart motorway:
- Never drive under a red “X”
- Keep to the speed limit shown on the gantries
- A solid white line indicates the hard shoulder – don’t drive in it unless directed
- A broken white line indicates a normal running lane
- Use the refuge areas for emergencies if there’s no hard shoulder
- Put your hazard lights on if you break down
What’s more, a government enquiry found that at least 24 broken-down drivers or passengers have died on them since 2015.
Existing smart motorways will remain, but they will be subject to a safety refit so that there are more emergency stopping places.
This comes as road bosses have confirmed that Britain’s busiest motorway, the M25, will not shut down for a full weekend again until 2025 despite multiple closures within weeks.
Elsewhere, Britain’s worst drivers have been revealed – as millions picked up points on their licence in 2024.