AA chief condemns motorists who ignore M25 smart lane closures

The AA’s president has condemned motorists who take no notice of overhead gantries on the M25 that indicate lane closures.

Highways England’s latest three-year report for the M25 used data from sign settings and files for flows per lane each minute to retrieve a number of samples. It revealed that up to 20 per cent of drivers ignore the “Red X” signs displayed on smart motorway overhead gantries to indicate a lane closure.

AA president Edmund King told the Press Association: “The smart motorway analysis suggests that there may be up to one-fifth of traffic not complying with ‘Red X’ signs, which is absolutely horrifying.

“We know that Highways England has run radio advertisements to try to educate drivers, but it seems we still have a significant number of drivers playing Russian roulette, hoping that their lane will be clear.

“This is one of the reasons we have emergency refuge areas and continue to push for more, so that vehicles in danger of breaking down can get off the carriageway.

“The increase in smart motorways and the development of expressways means it is absolutely vital that the signs are timely and accurate, and that drivers comply with them.”

Meanwhile, the AA’s Populus Poll, which was conducted in September 2017 and had 18,204 respondents, appeared to be more positive. It asked: “If you are driving on a motorway and signs (roadside or overhead gantry) are displaying a ‘Red X’ over the lane you are driving in, which of the following best describes what you would do?”

Ninety-four per cent said they would move over immediately, while two per cent said they would move into an adjacent lane but move back into the “Red X” lane if others were still using it, another two per cent said they would stay in the “Red X” lane until another “Red X”, and one per cent said they would stay in the “Red X” lane until they saw the incident ahead.

Jamie Hassall, national compliance co-ordinator at Highways England, which published its M25 report in February 2018, said: “We don’t take the decision to close lanes lightly, but when we do, drivers must obey the closure.

“It’s there for the safety of everyone on the road – people in difficulty, recovery and emergency services helping them, and all other road users besides.

“Most drivers are making the right decision when faced with a lane closed by a ‘Red X’, and the work we have done to date has seen improvements in compliance levels nationally. Meanwhile, we have an ongoing programme of activities to help ensure this trend continues.”