Overview

• Enforcement cameras activated in September 2022 now cover all police forces and have recorded more than 53,000 red X breaches at smart motorway gantries.
• Drivers who ignore red X signs face a fixed £100 penalty and three points on their licence, with harsher penalties possible in court for serious violations.
• IAM RoadSmart data show red X violations rose from 4,393 in 2021 to 28,231 in 2023, underscoring a growing non-compliance trend despite widespread signage.
• Surveys and Google search analysis reveal that roughly 33% of motorists have safety concerns about live-lane schemes and many lack confidence in signal recognition and emergency area use.
• Following high-profile collisions and public unease, the government has paused new all-lane running projects and is reviewing measures such as reinstating hard shoulders or expanding emergency refuge zones.