Back in the ’90s when my three children were teenagers, we were driving on a motorway on our way to a festival. My wife and kids were singing along to a tape. The motorway was busy with August bank holiday traffic. Ahead of me on the hard shoulder was a lorry. Suddenly, without warning, the lorry started to pull out into my lane. I looked to my right but another car was preventing me from overtaking the lorry. I slammed on the brakes, but it was clear that I had to do something else to avoid the lorry, whose tailgate was now frighteningly close. I swerved into the hard shoulder where the lorry had previously been, undertaking the lorry before coming to a halt. I will be forever grateful for that hard shoulder. I don’t think I am exaggerating to say it saved the life of my family.
So-called “smart” motorways no longer have this escape route. Many tragic accidents have highlighted how dangerous they are. The Government were warned how perilous they would be before they implemented the ridiculous plan. Now it is time to scrap them and reintroduce hard shoulders. Until this is done speed limits on smart motorways should be reduced.
Yours faithfully
Graham Wroe
The South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner agrees with me!
Tell the Truth Sheffield 