Pet Shop Boys feature in £5m campaign to increase smart motorway safety
11 March 2021, 07:56
60 second breakdown film (subtitled)
The Pet Shop Boys and singing flies are part of Highways England's £5 million campaign designed to improve safety on smart motorways.
An advert was launched urging motorists to “go left” to find a layby or verge in the event of a vehicle fault on a smart motorway.
The advert, featuring two flies on a windscreen singing an adapted version of the Pet Shop Boys’ Go West, was billed as the “biggest ever” campaign by Highways England to promote safety on motorways.
A year ago Transport Secretary Grant Shapps demanded better information for motorists as part of an 18-point action plan to improve public confidence in smart motorways, which have no permanent hard shoulder.
Smart motorway campaigner tells Nick why they are not safe enough
Separately, widow Claire Mercer's husband was tragically killed when a lorry ploughed into his stranded car on a smart motorway.
She is leading a prominent campaign against smart motorways and is calling for a Judicial Review.
