M3 smart motorway work put on hold

It's after safety concerns were raised by a group of MPs

Published 23rd Nov 2021

Highways bosses have postponed work to turn the M3 between Winchester and Southampton into a smart motorway.

It's so they can consider the findings of a report from the Transport Select Committee which raised safety concerns.

The group of MPs claims there isn't enough data on the dangers of removing hard shoulders from major roads.

National Highways smart motorways programme director David Bray said: “We have temporarily paused planned works on the M3 between junctions 9 and 14.

"This is while we and the Department for Transport consider the findings and recommendations of the recently-published Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into the safety and rollout of smart motorways.

“We will provide an update in due course.”

We're told work on the M27 smart motorway is continuing as construction is already well underway.