Labour has watered down its pledge to scrap smart motorways, saying it will carry out a “review” of the controversial roads if it wins the general election.
The party has previously called on the Government to restore hard shoulders to smart motorways, branding the highways as “not fit for purpose” and “putting lives at risk”.
Yet last Thursday Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, would only commit to a “review” of the controversial highways.
“Labour will review the evidence to determine whether existing smart motorways are fit for purpose, and will deliver a new, comprehensive road safety strategy to save lives and make our roads safer for everyone who uses them,” she said.
Last year, after Rishi Sunak cancelled plans to double the number of smart motorways across the country, Ms Haigh called on ministers to scrap smart motorways altogether by reinstating the hard shoulder.
Smart motorways consist of converting the hard shoulder into a live running lane, replacing it with safety laybys every mile and a half.
Ms Haigh said in April last year: “The public know what ministers still refuse to accept: smart motorways, coupled with inadequate safety systems, are not fit for purpose and are putting lives at risk.
Labour’s watered-down pledge comes as the AA called on both main political parties to scrap all 14 existing smart motorways.
Edmund King, president of the motoring organisation, said that the dangers of smart motorways outweighed the benefits.
“Breaking down in a live lane on a smart motorway makes car occupants sitting ducks and has cost too many lives,” said Mr King.
Mr Sunak announced in April last year that the planned roll-out of new smart motorways would be halted, but did not address the future of the existing ones.
Currently there are about 250 miles of smart motorways across the country, making up just over 7 per cent of the motorway network.
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