Greater than 53,000 motorists have been caught by police enforcement cameras disobeying Pink X indicators on sensible motorways since 2021, based on new analysis performed by the UK’s main street security charity IAM RoadSmart.
Analysed knowledge gathered by a Freedom of Info (FOI) request to police forces in England reveals that in 2021, 9 police forces had been imposing towards Pink X infringements, with 4,393 drivers caught. An additional eleven forces started prosecuting towards the contravention in 2022 leading to 20,773 motorists being captured by cameras. In 2023, a complete of 21 forces used enforcement cameras to catch 28,231 drivers breaking the legislation. Nearly all police forces with sensible motorways inside their boundary areas at the moment are actively pursuing one of these criminality.
The Pink X is usually used to shut lanes on a wise motorway when an obstruction akin to a broken-down automobile is detected within the street forward. Closed lanes are additionally utilized by the emergency providers attending those that would possibly want pressing help on the incident in query. Enforcement cameras mechanically detect autos passing illegally underneath a Pink X, which can lead to a set penalty discover of as much as £100 and three factors or, in some instances, extra extreme penalties or a court docket look.
Between 2021-23 inclusive, Surrey Police topped the desk with 11,360 drivers caught committing Pink X offences alongside stretches of the M3, M23 and M25 – the latter being Britain’s busiest motorway. Thames Valley Police had the second highest quantity with 9,957 motorists being snapped by cameras over the identical interval. Additional north, Higher Manchester Police had the third highest nationwide variety of meant prosecutions with 6,120 drivers committing Pink X offences on motorways.
Bedfordshire Police didn’t start enforcement till 2023, which means solely 28 drivers had been caught ignoring the Pink X signal by the police on this county stretch of the M1.
Latest sensible motorway schemes had been designed to ease congestion by turning the laborious shoulder right into a reside lane. The primary motorway to transform the laborious shoulder into part-time operating lane was the M42 in 2006. In 2013, the M25 was the primary motorway to have stretches of laborious shoulder eliminated altogether and changed with a operating lane. As of April 2024, there are 396 miles of sensible motorways in England, which incorporates all-lane operating (laborious shoulder completely eliminated); managed (laborious shoulder retained and variable velocity limits); and dynamic (laborious shoulder generally open to visitors) configurations. Drivers encountering issues on an all-lane operating motorway ought to head for emergency refuge areas (ERAs), nevertheless not all make it.
Knowledge suggests there have been 24 fatalities on a wise motorway in 2022, of which 14 occurred on motorways with out a laborious shoulder. Issues have additionally been raised about whether or not radar know-how to detect stranded autos is dependable. Latest IAM RoadSmart analysis revealed that nearly 89 p.c of two,000 motorists surveyed believed that the laborious shoulder on sensible motorways ought to be reinstated instantly, indicating continued public hostility to the schemes.
Unbiased street security campaigner, Meera Naran MBE, whose 8-year-old son Dev died in a wise motorway collision on the M6 in 2018, stated: “In an emergency, each second counts. The Pink X gives a layer of security for the general public, emergency providers, restoration operators, and street staff. An incident can happen on any lane of the motorway and lanes are closed for various causes. When in operation and abided by, this might save various lives, together with your individual.”
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements, Nicholas Lyes stated: “Ignoring a Pink X signal on a wise motorway is harmful as a result of it dangers a severe collision and for that reason, we welcome police forces clamping down on those that break the legislation.
“If a lane is closed on sensible motorway, it often signifies there’s both a stranded automobile forward, persons are working within the street, or there was a collision. Disobeying the signal places the lives of these within the automobile in addition to these forward in peril. For those who see a Pink X signal, you need to decelerate and transfer into an open lane when there’s adequate house to take action.
“Nearly all of drivers have severe reservations concerning the security of sensible motorways the place the laborious shoulder has been eliminated, and these figures are unlikely to steer them they’re protected. We all know that no new all-lane operating sensible motorways shall be constructed but it surely does beg the query of what we do with the present stretches which might be in operation? That is one thing the brand new authorities wants to offer some severe thought to.”
