A Medway and Malling politician has urged a rethink of ongoing road works due to concerns about the safety of so-called 'Smart Motorways'.

Tracey Crouch, Chatham and Aylesford MP, spoke in the House of Commons urging Parliament to reconsider road improvements on the M20 and across the country.

A Kent MP tells KMTV why Smart Motorways need to be reviewed

Addressing her colleagues, she said she had been concerned about the plans since they were first proposed.

This was the second time she had raised fears in the House, last time battling to find out what safety measures will be in place to spot broken down vehicles once it is complete.

A six-mile stretch of the M20, between junction 3 for the M26 and junction 5 for Aylesford and Maidstone, has been subject to roadworks for more than two years while it is converted into a Smart Motorway.

The £92 million works, which run through the MP's constituency, are due to end in March this year.

She said: "Many constituents are petrified about its completion, not least because, since I raised the issue last year, there have unfortunately been a number of high-profile fatalities.

"Hundreds of people have got in touch about their concerns and experiences, many of which are incredibly traumatic. We need to pay attention to drivers’ experiences."

She has requested that the government consider whether the money used to upgrade the road could be better spent on the wider road and transport network, instead of on what she calls an "increasingly dubious and dangerous upgrade plan."

In her speech, she also referred to Sam Cockerill, whose partner was killed recovering a car on the side of the M25 in 2017.

Miss Cockerill feels more could be done: "There should be more refuge areas and more education out there."

The discussion in Parliament comes after many people learned vehicle recovery workers are not allowed to assist with breakdowns which are affecting live lanes.

"We need to pay attention to drivers’ experiences..."

The AA, Highways England, National Police Chiefs Council, Home Office and several other emergency assistance companies are signed up to a group called SURVIVE - the industry-leading authority where safety and best practice rules and policies are produced and applied.

The organisation's policy documents state there are three circumstances in which staff are unable to stop and help.

Technicians are advised that should they come across or arrive at a scene of a live running lane breakdown on a motorway where the traffic officer patrol, police or other relevant transport authority are not present, they should call the police on 999 and provide details.

Additionally, if no safe working area has been created or the vehicle hasn't been moved to a place of safety, they are not permitted to help until the breakdown is moved or the road is blocked.

This is not a new policy and it applies to all types of motorways, including traditional ones with hard shoulders.

Edmund King, AA president, said: "Being stuck in a live lane is in incredibly dangerous. The official advice is keep your seat belt and hazard lights on and dial 999.

"It is not safe for breakdown organisations to recover vehicles unless the lane is closed and has a physical presence sat behind the casualty vehicle. This is either the Police with blue flashing lights or Highways England Traffic Officers with red flashing lights.

"This highlights the severity of breaking down in a live lane and further emphasises our calls for double the number of emergency refuge areas.

"Providing drivers with more places of relative safety would reduce the risk of vehicles being stuck in a lane of fast-moving traffic.”

The organisation has been raising concerns about Smart Motorways since 2012, particularly the significant distance between the emergency refuge areas.

In July, roadworkers carrying out the upgrades on the M20 reached a landmark of working more than one million hours without an accident or injury.

All future Smart Motorway schemes were put on hold in October after the Department for Transport announced a full scale review of their safety will take place.

A spokesman for the government department said the evaluation will begin in "due course."

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