Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when (a) the locations of additional Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs) to be installed on All Lane Running Smart Motorways within the second Road Investment Strategy will be published and (b) work on the additional 150 ERAs will be completed.

On 12 January 2022, the Government’s response to the Transport Committee committed £390 million over the duration of the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) to roll out an Emergency Area (EA) retrofit programme. This will see over 150 additional EAs being added to All Lane Running smart motorways by 2025. National Highways is now developing detailed plans for the design and construction of these additional EAs. Further details on the location, design and schedule for construction of these EAs will be provided in due course.