Suzi Perry explains smart motorways in new safety campaign
Wolverhampton-born TV presenter Suzi Perry has joined a national campaign urging drivers to improve their understanding of smart motorways.
The broadcaster, who fronts BT Sport’s coverage of MotoGP, was joined by TV presenter Ortis Delay to produce a series of videos for National Highways.
The footage shows them driving on sections of a smart motorway, discussing the differences from conventional motorways and how traffic is kept moving.
In the videos, Suzi and Ortis describe how signs and signals give motorists information about the road ahead, including possible obstructions in the road – and talk about technology being rolled out across the country to detect vehicles that have stopped in live traffic lanes.
They explain what to do in an emergency and also describe Red X signs, emergency areas, how all lane running sections of motorway operate and the use of variable speed limits to reduce congestion.
Suzi, who fronts BT Sport’s coverage of MotoGP, said: “Every driver gets better with more experience and more knowledge about the roads they use. These videos are a quick and easy guide to how smart motorways operate.”
Ortis, a star of Channel 5’s The Gadget Show, said: “Smart motorways aim to reduce congestion for millions of motorists. Learning how to use them safely is a great way to contribute to road safety.
“I’d advise anyone who uses the roads to watch the videos to ensure they know the best course of action in the rare event they break down on their journey.”
The videos have been posted on the Driving on Motorways section of the National Highways website.
National Highways Customer Service Director Mel Clarke said: “Everyone can learn to be a better and safer driver.
"We’re investing hundreds of millions of pounds to make England’s motorways and major A-roads even safer and we can all play our part by making sure we and our loved ones know how to use the network safely."
The roll-out of smart motorways, including the M40, M25, M62 and M3, was halted earlier this year until five years' worth of safety data from the controversial roads is available, following concerns from MPs and monitoring groups. The programme will not restart until at least 2025.
Smart motorways – introduced to increase road capacity by converting the hard shoulder to a live running lane – has been met with criticism over people being left unable to find safe refuge.
Meanwhile the Government promised a £900 million package of additional safety measures for existing smart motorways, including building more refuge areas for vehicles in difficulty.
