Traffic flow is only getting worse – are smart motorways to blame?

Delays are growing across England’s road network, with the average delay now at 11.6 seconds per vehicle per mile, compared to free flow. That’s a 5.5% increase since June 2024, according to new figures released by the Department for Transport (DfT).

But what could be behind this increasing congestion? Well, the AA believes that smart motorways are having a big impact. This is because most drivers avoid Lane One through fear that they will run into a stranded vehicle. In turn, this undermines the efficiency and speed of the drivers on these roads.

“Drivers probably won’t be surprised to hear that their journey times have increased over the past year, especially on our motorways,” said Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for The AA. “With numerous stretches of so-called ‘smart’ motorways now in regular use, rather than improving traffic flow it seems to have created more bottlenecks.”

The AA understands that several Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports into all lane running schemes have yet to be released. They are now calling on the government to release these reports immediately.

These reports can help the roads industry understand what traffic flow improvements have been made by these smart motorways. They can also help the industry assess whether these types of motorways – which many drivers see as dangerous – are worth investing in.

Where in England are the slowest speeds seen?

The average speed on the Strategic Road Network shows London’s slowing by nearly 4mph over the last year and nearly 5mph since Covid, according to the DfT data. The latter also shows that the average road speed on strategic roads around the capital is on a path to slowing 10% since Covid.

The West Midlands is showing a 7.8%, or nearly 4mph decline, while West Yorkshire is down 6.0% since Covid.

But not all hope is lost. Over the past year, average speeds on strategic roads around Newcastle and in Northumberland have improved by 1.3% (1mph). Tees Valley major roads, also in the North East, are doing even better with a 1.6% improvement in average speeds between 2023 and 2024.

Here’s the annual average speeds on the strategic road networks for combined authorities in England and the changes (in miles per house) between 2023 and 2024, taken from the DfT’s latest figures:

So, how can drivers help improve the flow of traffic on motorways?

There are several things you could do on the motorway to help improve the flow of traffic:

• Keep a safe distance (at least two seconds) from the car in front of you. This will stop you from suddenly braking, helping you avoid the domino effect that causes traffic to stop and go.
• Change lanes frequently? Well, this creates ripple effects that disrupt traffic flow, so stay in your lane when possible.
• Don’t be a middle lane hogger as it’s considered bad driving behaviour and is actually illegal.
• Please follow the mandatory speed limits and lane directions shown on the gantries, especially for the hard shoulder.
• Why not consider car sharing? This reduces the number of cars on the road, which means less disruptions.

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