The distressing news of the accident on the M1 on Friday has made it abundantly clear, once again, that the government needs to readdress the safety of smart motorways.

The government has been repeatedly warned that smart motorways are not fit for purpose and that the roll-out should be brought to an immediate halt.

So, I join with South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings in his call to for the government to abandon smart motorways and I wholly agree with his statement that they are “inherently unsafe and dangerous”.

Ahead of the progress report expected in March 2021, it is vital that the government accept the failure of this scheme and takes into account the tragic loss of 38 people who have been killed on smart motorways between 2014 and 2019.