Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Third Report of the Transport Committee of Session 2021–22, Rollout and safety of smart motorways, HC26, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that emergency refuges on All Lane Running Smart Motorways are spaced no more than 1,500m apart, and no more than 1,000m apart where possible.

National Highways has completed construction of 151 additional emergency areas across the all lane running (ALR) smart motorway network through the National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme. National Highways is evaluating the effectiveness of these additional emergency areas, including impacts on live-lane stops, safety outcomes and road-user perceptions. Initial findings are expected in 2026, with a full three-year evaluation concluding in 2028.