M4 smart motorway plan between Theale and London 'dangerous'

Plans to create a so-called smart motorway on a stretch of the M4 have been labelled "inherently dangerous" by a Berkshire council.

About 32 miles (51km) between Theale and London would be widened in both directions to four lanes, using the hard shoulder.

Reading Borough Council raised its safety concerns over the Highways England plans, external in its impact report, external.

It comes as Friends of the Earth campaigners staged a protest on Monday.

Smart motorways, external also use a range of new technology, including electronic signs, to vary speed limits in response to driving conditions.

Reading Borough Council said it accepts extra capacity is needed on the M4.

However, it added it believed providing extra capacity by removing the hard shoulder would be "inherently dangerous which will lead to more congestion and delays on the local road network".

The authority also said the removal of the hard shoulder as a running lane, between junctions 3 and 12, "will be detrimental to highway safety especially given the spacing of the emergency lay-bys".

Highways England has said there would be refuges for broken down vehicles.

It has also said converting the hard shoulder into a lane would discourage motorists from stopping for non-emergencies, such as to answer their phones.

The Reading Friends of the Earth demonstration took place outside Wycliffe Baptist Church where a hearing for the plans was being held.

Its concerns also include noise, air pollution and climate change.

Further hearings for the proposals, which are being examined by the Planning Inspectorate, will be held in Hayes and Maidenhead on Thursday and Friday.