Close ready to scrap smart highways and consider offering speed limit advice

Liz Truss said she would remove smart highways and is ready to consider ending mandatory speed limits if she becomes Prime Minister next week.

The Foreign Secretary made the comments in response to a question from a Conservative Party member during his last election campaign in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as leader.

Smart highways, which include variable speed limits and the use of hard shoulders as rush hour carriageways , are controversial by many Conservative members after claims they increase the risk of accidents.

A Conservative member Audience listener at the Wembley roundups, identified only as David, told Ms Truss: "Smart highways kill. They also cause long delays because they close lanes in the event of a breakdown, which is a problem for people who have to drive for work.

"They also often impose speed limits very low, mandatory - much lower than necessary.

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