The government has today announced that the rollout of “all lane running” smart motorways is to be paused in the UK amid safety concerns.
Following the publishing of the recent Transport Committee report, ministers from the Department for Transport (DfT) have said that schemes to convert stretches of the M3, M25, M62 and M40 into smart motorways will be held off on until “five years’ worth of safety data are available”.
Where work is already underway, a £390 million retrofit programme will instead see additional emergency refuge areas and Stopped Vehicle Detection technology installed where possible.
The decision to halt the controversial rollout follows a recommendation by the Commons Transport Select Committee – which highlighted that there wasn’t enough safety and economic data to justify continuing with the project.
In the review of smart motorways commissioned by transport secretary, Grant Shapps, in March 2020, the government said dynamic smart motorways were confusing and should be phased out in favour of all-lane running – which would remove the hard shoulder permanently – but MPs on the Transport Committee said that the decision was “premature” and based on insufficient evidence.
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The report urged the government to instead “consider alternative options for enhancing capacity” on motorways.
Our report on smart motorways called for a pause to the rollout of all-lane running smart motorways until sufficient safety data had been gathered, as well as other key recommendations.
Smart motorways – which were first introduced in England in 2014 to increase road capacity and manage traffic by converting the hard shoulder to a live running lane – have been heavily criticised by safety campaigners and MPs alike, with concerns voiced following a growing number of fatal incidents involving broken-down vehicles on smart motorways being hit from behind.
Most-notably, demonstrators carried 38 cardboard coffins to the Houses of Parliament last November 2021 in protest over the government’s initial motorway plan, with each coffin representing one of the people officially listed as being killed on smart motorways between 2014 and 2019.
Around 53 people are thought to have died on smart motorways since 2014.
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Claire Mercer – whose husband, Jason, died on a smart motorway stretch of the M1 in June 2019 – is one of the most prominent campaigners for the abolishment of smart motorways entirely, and is the founder of the Smart Motorways Kill campaign group.
Ms Mercer says her husband would still be alive had there been a hard shoulder, and has said that “none of this is enough”.
She wants to see hard shoulders brought back in every instance.
The rollout of “all lane running” smart motorways is to be paused in the UK amid safety concerns / Credit: RAC
Speaking on the decision to pause the smart motorway rollout for five years, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “While our initial data shows that smart motorways are among the safest roads in the UK, it’s crucial that we go further to ensure people feel safer using them [and] pausing schemes yet to start construction and making multimillion-pound improvements to existing schemes will give drivers confidence and provide the data we need to inform our next steps.”
He added: “During the pause, we will continue to make sure all existing ALR smart motorways are equipped with best-in-class technology and resources and are as safe as they can possibly be.”
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Tory MP Huw Merriman – who chairs the Commons Transport Select Committee – added: “It was clear to our committee that the public needs more reassurance that these motorways are safe to use.
“With conflicting and patchy evidence covering a limited number of years, more time was required to properly assess the impact on safety.”
Campaigners have long argued that the scrapping of hard shoulders has put drivers at greater risk of accidents / Credit: Flickr
Labour’s shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said ministers were “wrong to press ahead” with smart motorways when “the strong evidence warned against it,” and added that “smart motorways in their current form, coupled with inadequate safety systems, are not fit for purpose and are putting lives at risk.”
“Today’s announcement is a welcome step,” she admitted.
“But Ministers should go one step further and reinstate the hard shoulder while this safety work and the accompanying review of the evidence takes place.”
Pep Guardiola signs new contract to stay at Manchester City until 2027
Danny Jones
Blues will be delighted to hear that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is staying after agreeing to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until at least 2027.
The Catalan coach and supremely talented tactician has won all there is to win with Man City and after completing not only a record-matching treble but making history by becoming the first English team to win four Premier League titles in a row, you could argue his Etihad project is well and truly completed.
Guardiola, who joined City back in 2016, has gradually been creeping towards the end of his most recent contract, leaving those slowly searching for his replacement and the fan base wondering what the future holds for their next chapter.
But it turns out they don’t have to worry about life after Pep for a little while longer, as the 53-year-old has now extended his stay for another two seasons. The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester for the best part of a decade isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who is comfortably one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches in football history, was due to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
However, although his contract would have seen him depart by June of next summer, this new deal will now see him stay in post until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, which will see him surpass the 10-year mark and then some.
It’s the news all Blues have been waiting for and an announcement that will no doubt come as a huge relief given the immense success he has brought to East Manchester.
Despite waiting until now to seemingly decide his future, the man himself has actually been pretty clear on the matter, insisting that he “fell in love” with the club from the moment he got here and saying as far back as 2020 that “unless they [CFG] sack me, I will stay here.”
Speaking in an official statement, Guardiola said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and of course the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
Man City fans will honour Pep with a banner which reads in Catalan, 'we want you to stay'…
"They'll have to bring me the bill. I will pay the bank. I don't want them to spend money for that reason. I feel in love since the first day I came here." 🥺
Better still, while the details of the agreement are yet to be fully detailed, it is thought that the new contract still includes an option to extend for an extra year, meaning we could be looking at Pep in Premier League dugouts even longer.
Should City go on to close the gap on current league leaders Liverpool, it would mean Guardiola would have overseen five title wins with the same team in a row: a feat only matched by very few in European football, most notably Juventus and Bayern Munich, the latter having managed 13 consecutive years.
Who knows if/when Guardiola will actually leave the Etihad Stadium for a new challenge, all we know is he changed modern football forever and has given Manchester – a city already spoilt in this respect – some of the most impressive football it’s ever seen.
All we do know is that the beautiful game’s passionate, bald, tiki-taka extraordinaire known simply as Pep is staying in 0161 for the time being and there are countless fans who are absolutely buzzing about it.
Tributes pour in for chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, Tommy Muir
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring in following the death of Tommy Muir, the long-standing chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, at the age of 71.
News of Muir’s death broke on Thursday, 21 November, with countless Man City fans learning of his tragic passing online and proceeding to pay their respects.
The Cheadle Branch boss, lifelong supporter and well-known club figure is said to have died following a period of illness, with a member of the popular Bluemoon Forum claiming he suffered from the progressive disease pulmonary fibrosis for some time.
Numerous messages of sadness, love and support have been shared on social media already.
Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends. https://t.co/8rLcL10N2Ipic.twitter.com/dkEmCSU1vl
Just heard a top blue Tommy Muir has passed away. Met Tommy years ago, he helped me out with tickets down the years, we shared a few laughs and pints. He gave me this plaque after he rescued it from Maine Road and is something I'll always treasure. RIP Tommy #trueblue 💙⚽ pic.twitter.com/jfbFLfZCKS
By all accounts, Muir will be remembered as a much-loved leader of City’s Cheadle Branch, as well as a generous character with a great sense of humour.
There are countless messages from people who know him from the local area or through helping sort spare tickets for matchdays and as the familiar face around Maine Road back in the day and on the bus to the Etihad Stadium for many years.
Tommy was also one of the official supporters group members who were treated to a visit by Man City themselves, naming him honorary Life Vice President of the Official Supporters Club and bringing the Treble trophies to his doorstep back in July 2023.
Muir, an ex-Royal Mail worker, also served as the landlord of The Kenilworth pub back in Cheadle, Stockport, where fans would regularly meet pre-match before heading to watch the game.
Local author and historian of Manchester sport, Gary James, wrote on Facebook: “I’ve just seen this news… Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Speaking to The Manc, General Secretary of City’s Official Supporters Club, Kevin Parker told us: Tommy was a blue through and through and 100% committed to The Supporters Club at Cheadle and its members.
“I have known Tommy for over 30 years and no one deserved the recent success the club has had more than him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and fondly remembered. He will still be watching our wonderful club from the Blue Stands in the Sky telling anyone who disrespects his Club to ‘do one'”
Known to so many throughout the fan base, even supporters who never met him personally have been sharing their condolences on various platforms. Those who knew him well have nothing but heartwarming memories to share.
Fan forums like Bluemoon have been awash with people mourning Muir’s passing. One person told the story of meeting him at the age of 17 and following him when moved to The George and Dragon pub – another popular City haunt before games.
Another wrote: “I got to know Tommy when I joined the Cheadle Supporters branch. Tommy loved being branch secretary. He was absolutely dedicated to his position as branch secretary […] The branch meetings were serious affairs, getting through what had to be discussed, but in between was humour and laughter brought about by Tommy.
“Tommy had a huge sense of humour, and his one-liners were famous amongst the branch members, which would have everyone laughing throughout the meetings. The coach trips to the away games were never dull. They were always full of cheer, drinking, laughter, and City songs.”
“Keep on watching your beloved City from above. Rest in peace, Tommy.”
Losses like this within a fan base are always tough to take. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, the Cheadle Branch and all the Blues whose lives he touched. RIP Tommy Muir.
Emily Sergeant -
12th January 2022 
