Drivers have paid an estimated £5.3 million in fines after being caught doing one thing on the road. Charity IAM RoadSmart revealed the data which showed motorists were flouting the ‘smart motorways’ red X, meaning a lane was supposed to be closed.

This could lead to dangerous situations as the carriage could be shut due to a broken-down vehicle being stranded. More than 53,000 motorists have been caught by police enforcement cameras disobeying Red X signs on smart motorways since 2021.

Every driver caught is in line to get a £100 fine and the data shows a huge increase in motorists ignoring the signs, the charity said. IAM RoadSmart said in 2021, nine police forces were enforcing against Red X infringements, with 4,393 drivers caught. A further eleven forces began prosecuting against the contravention in 2022, resulting in 20,773 motorists being captured by cameras.

In 2023, a total of 21 forces used enforcement cameras to catch 28,231 drivers breaking the law. 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. Enforcement cameras automatically detect vehicles passing illegally under a Red X, which can result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 and three points or, in some cases, more severe penalties or a court appearance.

Independent road safety campaigner, Meera Naran MBE, whose 8-year-old son Dev died in a smart motorway collision on the M6 in 2018, said: “In an emergency, every second counts. The Red X provides a layer of safety for the public, emergency services, recovery operators, and road workers. An incident can occur on any lane of the motorway and lanes are closed for a number of reasons. When in operation and abided by, this could save a number of lives, including your own.”

Between 2021-23, Surrey Police topped the table, with 11,360 drivers caught committing Red X offences along stretches of the M3, M23 and M25 – the latter being Britain’s busiest motorway. Thames Valley Police had the second highest volume, with 9,957 motorists being snapped by cameras over the same period.

Further north, Greater Manchester Police had the third highest national number of intended prosecutions, with 6,120 drivers committing Red X offences on motorways. Bedfordshire Police did not begin enforcement until 2023, meaning only 28 drivers were caught ignoring the Red X sign by the police on this county stretch of the M1.

IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards, Nicholas Lyes said: “Ignoring a Red X sign on a smart motorway is dangerous because it risks a serious collision and for this reason, we welcome police forces clamping down on those who break the law.

“If a lane is closed on smart motorway, it usually indicates there is either a stranded vehicle ahead, people are working in the road, or there has been a collision. Disobeying the sign puts the lives of those in the vehicle as well as those ahead in danger. If you see a Red X sign, you should slow down and move into an open lane when there is sufficient space to do so.”