Campaigners Demand Release of Smart Motorway Safety Reports

Campaigners have held a demonstration outside the Department for Transport (DfT) headquarters in London, calling for the publication of reports evaluating the safety and effectiveness of smart motorway schemes.

The protest was organised by Claire Mercer, founder of the Smart Motorways Kill campaign, who claims that the DfT is withholding a series of Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports. These reports are intended to provide data on safety, value for money, and environmental impacts of smart motorways.

Journalist Chris Ames noted that, according to a 2022 report from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), nine POPE reports were scheduled for completion that year alone. It remains unclear how many have been produced since then. Both National Highways and the ORR have reportedly attributed delays in publishing the reports to ministers, while the DfT says the documents are still undergoing an “assurance” process.

Sarah Champion, Member of Parliament for Rotherham and Mercer’s local MP, attended the protest, where demonstrators displayed a banner reading “Release the POPE” outside the DfT offices.

Mercer, whose husband Jason died on a smart motorway section of the M1 in 2019, stated that she invited ministers to attend the demonstration but none participated. She did, however, receive a letter from local roads minister Simon Lightwood in response to her campaign.

The protest underscores ongoing public scrutiny of smart motorways, which have faced criticism over safety concerns and calls for greater transparency regarding their effectiveness.