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Halt smart motorways projects until safety upgrades are made, say MPs
Halt smart motorways projects until safety upgrades are made, say MPs
The construction of smart motorways should be paused until promised safety improvements have been delivered and there is more evidence to assess the risks, MPs have urged.
The cross-party transport select committee criticised as premature the decision by Grant Shapps in March 2020 to press ahead with the use of the controversial motorways in the face of mounting concern about their safety.
While the government has maintained that smart motorways are as safe as conventional ones, MPs said that at least five years of trial data covering all variants of smart motorway, which manage road speeds through electronic signs and do not have a hard shoulder, were needed.
The report said that the available evidence was “limited and volatile”, and urged greater powers for the Office of Rail and Road to block new road schemes until it was satisfied of their safety.
The scale of measures needed to effectively mitigate the risks from removing the hard shoulder on motorways had been underestimated, MPs said, and Highways England (the old name for National Highways) and the Department for Transport had failed to deliver promised safety upgrades.
More emergency refuge areas should be retrofitted to existing all-lane running smart motorways to be never more than one mile apart, and every 0.75 miles where possible. The highway code should also be updated with instructions to drivers to create corridors to allow emergency services to reach the scene of incidents, according to the MPs.
The report did not go as far some campaigners in calling for smart motorways to be scrapped, after a number of motorists who had broken down in a live lane and been hit by other vehicles were killed. However, it said that Shapps’ so-called “stock take” and 18-point plan last year would not go far enough in addressing the risks.
MPs also questioned Shapps’ decision to end by 2025 the use of “dynamic” all-lane running, where the hard shoulder is sometimes used as a live traffic lane. They suggested that with clear, consistent use such motorways would be preferable, as they could retain the hard shoulder in quieter times.
Committee chair Huw Merriman said as only 29 miles of all-lane running smart motorways had operated for over five years, it “feels too soon, and uncertain, to use this as an evidence base to remove the hard shoulder from swathes of our motorway network”.
He said the focus on upgrading safety by ministers was welcome, “but we’ve been here before. We’re not convinced that reinstating the hard shoulder on existing schemes is the answer, but the DfT must pause the rollout and take stock.”
The select committee in June 2016 called on the government to drop or pause the rollout of smart motorways, which have been seen as a comparatively cheap and easy way to increase capacity on the UK’s major road networks. A report then concluded that the trade-off in safety was an “unacceptable price to pay” for all-lane running.
Motoring organisations welcomed the latest report, which they said was pragmatic and endorsed their calls for measures to improve safety.
Labour said it confirmed that ministers had wrongly pressed ahead in the face of overwhelming warning evidence. Jim McMahon, shadow transport secretary, said: “We know smart motorways in their current form, coupled with inadequate safety systems, are not fit for purpose and are putting lives at risk. Reinstating the hard shoulder while full investigations are carried out need not be costly … the government must finally listen.”
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Gov Alia reinstates suspended Benue Attorney General
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on Monday lifted the suspension on the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim.
The reinstatement was announced by the governor during the state executive council meeting in Makurdi, the state capital.
Recall that the Benue State Attorney General was suspended on October 23 following his unilateral decision to include the state as a party in the suit challenging the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
Tersoo Kula, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, briefed newsmen after the meeting.
Kula said that Mnyim was recalled from his suspension after he withdrew the state from the list of states seeking the constitutionality of the laws establishing the two anti-graft agencies.
He said the commissioner met the requirements for his reinstatement.
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MC Oluomo sworn in as NURTW President
Following his emergence as the National President of the National Union of Road Transport Union, NURTW, Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo has been sworn in at the union’s national secretariat in Abuja.
MC Oluomo was the former Chairman of NURTW, Lagos State Chapter, before he emerged the National President.
He was introduced to the National Administrative Council NAC and Central Working Committee CWC, members on Monday.
The union’s Legal Officer, Mercy Ibeh conducted the swearing-in exercise.
While MC Oluomo was sworn in as the national president, the duo of Tajudeen Agbede and Akeem Adeosun were sworn in as Vice President, Southwest and Trustee.
“I promise to lead the union to a greater height with the help of almighty Allah,” MC Oluomo said after he was sworn in.
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Tinubu declares stand on Israel-Gaza war, calls for two-state solution
President Bola Tinubu on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia called for an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, warning that “the conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering.”
Addressing the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, convened to address the current situation in the Middle East, President Tinubu expressed deep concern on the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
The one-day summit was a follow-up to the Riyadh summit last year, and was attended by Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States.
Reiterating Nigeria’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, President Tinubu affirmed the country’s support for a two-state solution, where both Israeli and Palestinians can co-exist in security and dignity.
He noted that this solution remained a viable part to lasting peace in the region.
”The conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering on countless lives.
”As representatives of nations that value justice, dignity, and the sanctity of human life, we have a moral obligation to collectively bring about an immediate end to this conflict.
”It is not enough to issue empty condemnations. The world must work towards an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has persisted for far too long.
“No political aim, no military strategy, and no security concern should come at the expense of so many innocent lives,” he said.
The Nigerian leader called on parties in the conflict in the Middle East to respect the principles of proportionality and the basic rights of civilians, consistent with global legal and diplomatic frameworks.
”In a rules-based international order, States have the right of self-defence. But self defence must take proportionality into account, in line with global legal, diplomatic – and moral – frameworks.
”An entire civilian population, their dreams and futures, cannot be dismissed as collateral,” he said.
Explaining Nigeria’s principled and consistent stance on the two-state solution, President Tinubu noted that it stands as a beacon of hope, representing the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and peace.
”It is not just a diplomatic article of faith; it is a vision grounded in the principles of equality and mutual recognition.
”Achieving this vision requires a commitment to dialogue and respect for history. We all know this conflict did not begin on October 7 in 2023. It can only be resolved through principled compromise, based on appreciation of the proper context.
”This conflict, in the cradle of history, is so visceral that the ripples of division spread far and quickly. The corrosive impact of the images of endless violence, repeated on a billion smart phones around the world is huge. We need to find new pathways to peace, without delay,” he said.
The Nigerian leader commended King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for convening the summit, describing it as a vital opportunity to renew diplomatic efforts and work toward a sustainable peace.
He assured that Nigeria given its own experiences would continue to support international efforts that advance peace and stability in the Middle East.
”Our own experiences, domestically and regionally, have taught us that identity politics are no substitute for respecting the nuances of diversity,” he said.
According to President Tinubu ”the path to reconciliation may be fraught with challenges, but it is through honest conversation that we can foster understanding.
”The international community has the opportunity to bring to bear new thinking on this most relentless challenge.
”It is our duty to engage in this dialogue with sincerity and resolve, recognising the complexities that each side faces.”
President Tinubu called for the establishment of a secretariat to implement the resolutions of the Summit.
He urged the leaders to mandate a select Heads of Government to canvass support globally and oversee the implementation of the Summit resolutions, providing regular reports to a joint OIC and Arab League leadership until permanent peace is achieved in the Middle East.
In his opening remarks, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon, including the targeting of civilians and the continued violation of the Al-Aqsa mosque.
He also condemned Israeli ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from delivering relief aid to Palestinians and the displacement of Lebanese people.
He emphasized the importance of preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Crown Prince highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting Palestinian statehood based on the 1967 borders, mentioning international recognition and the establishment of a Global Coalition with the European Union and Norway.
He urged more states to join the Global Coalition.
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