Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission work to compare the cost and success of hard shoulder running on smart motorways with the Siemens eHighway.
The Highways Agency is not considering undertaking work to compare the cost and success of hard-shoulder running on smart motorways with the Siemens eHighway. Smart motorways provide primarily congestion management for all vehicles whereas the Siemens eHighway focuses on freight traffic and the associated environmental benefits in terms of Nitrous Oxide and Carbon Dioxide reduction. Whilst costs could be compared the two approaches have significantly different objectives and outcomes.