Smart Motorway Safety Advice

Thames Valley Police logo

Smart motorways are up and running in many places across the country, including parts of the Thames Valley.

What used to be the hard shoulder is now a fourth lane and there are overhead signs above the lanes.

These will display important information such as variable speed limits and lane closures.

It’s important that you obey these signs for your safety and that of other road users.

You’ll see a red ‘X’ if a lane is closed.

This can often be set far in advance of an incident to help those who are dealing with it.
Make sure to leave gaps in the traffic to allow people to filter into an open lane.

Driving in a closed lane could result in a fixed penalty of up to £100 and three points.

National Highways and Thames Valley Police will be carrying out enforcement on these roads.
For more information, please visit the National Highway’s website