Smart motorways have come under fire after a BBC Panorama investigation found hundreds of incidents where vital safety equipment wasn't working over the space of nearly two years - and readers on our Facebook page have been debating whether they would keep the controversial motorway system at all.

Figures obtained by the BBC claim that, between June 2022 and February 2024, there were 397 incidents when smart motorways lost power, making it difficult to detect when a vehicle has broken down. National Highways, which runs the motorways, has denied they are not safe.

Technology is supposed to enable smart motorways to alert other motorists quickly to any stranded vehicles in "live" running lanes. There have long been fears about the safety of drivers who get into difficulty on the motorway and have no hard shoulder to pull into.

Coventry Live readers have been discussing a poll that says 75% of people want smart motorways returned to their old form, with the hard shoulder. Issaiah Shylock said: “Lost my last car on a smart motorway... my tire blew out due to debris that hadn't been cleared from a previous accident, good job myself and my lad were on the verge as a lorry went right through my car…”

James Bannon wrote: “Nothing smart about a motorway that has no hard shoulder to pull onto if you break down. A very 'not very smart' death trap. Maybe all vehicles should be fitted with a device that slows or stops them if they are about to encounter a broken down vehicle. Not a big ask these days or devices fitted to cars to stop them speeding."

Beverley Carey said: “I fear breaking down without a hard shoulder", and Yvonne Malone says: "I try to avoid them on trips, main problem is the technology to send help isn’t working or reliable, should go back."

Steven Turvey writes: “Are this '75%' willing to accept the fact that converting them back to conventional motorways will result in the loss of 25% of the road capacity (dropping from 4 live lanes to 3), the subsequent increase in the number of traffic jams and the wasted fuel/increased pollution/missed appointments/higher haulage costs that comes from this?

It's those behind the wheel that cause the danger, David Edkins thinks: “Drivers need to more educated on how to use all roads, the driving standards that I see daily are totally abysmal, it's like driving in a banger race.” Andy Eames agrees: “Nonsense. Only cus 75% of people in Britain don’t know how to drive properly!”

Should the smart motorway scheme continue in Britain? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.