According to road safety charity, IAM Roadsmart, a record number of drivers in the UK have been ignoring Red X signs on smart motorways with over 53,000 drivers caught by cameras since police started enforcing the law three years ago.

Although it’s taken that time for police forces to prosecute drivers for this offence, now almost all police forces with smart motorways within their boundary areas are now actively pursuing this type of criminality.

The Red X is often used to close lanes on a smart motorway when an obstruction such as a broken-down vehicle is detected in the road ahead. Closed lanes are also used by the emergency services attending those who might need urgent assistance at the incident in question.

Passing a Red X can result in a fine of up to £100 and three penalty points.  In some cases more severe penalties can be imposed, including a court appearance. As of April 2024, there are 396 miles of smart motorways in England, which includes all-lane running (hard shoulder permanently removed); controlled (hard shoulder retained and variable speed limits); and dynamic (hard shoulder sometimes open to traffic) configurations.

Photo: Road safety charity, IAM Roadsmart, warns drivers not to ignore the Red X.