Smart motorways could be upgraded to improve congestion by instantly beaming important information to the dashboard of cars of the future. 

Fibre optic cables could be laid along the busiest motorways in the UK, which would be used to communicate travel and traffic information to driver’s dashboards. 

Highways England will today reveal its proposals for a high-tech broadband “spine” capable of improving safety on motorways across the country.

The “spine” is said to also improve efficiency for modern and future driverless cars and could reduce the need for traditional road signs by beaming speed limits and recommended routes to drivers.

Around 700 miles of the high-speed fibre-optic cables is expected to be laid between London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The motorways that will have the fibre-optic cables fitted to it include M1, M4, M6, M25, M41 and M40. 

This new ‘smart’ motorway network could be introduced by 2030 and is expected to cost around £30billion. 

The 'Strategic Road Network Initial Report' will be used to help inform the Government’s next road investment strategy in 2020. 

“Smart motorways will provide critical capacity to a crowded network," the report said.

"We will develop the smart motorway and expressway infrastructure to engage with connected vehicles, and communicate in a more useful way with those driving on our roads. 

"We are currently trialling drones to inspect structures, but such technology could also be used to improve response times, for example for a first assessment of incidents or for traffic monitoring."

Another proposal in the report if for drones to be deployed to monitor roads and improve response times.

Elsewhere in the proposals it stressed the importance of road maintenance. 

The cable network could also be used to spot potholes on motorways and automatically transmit this information back to Highways England to schedule repairs. 

Highways England Chief Executive, Jim O’Sullivan, said: “We are delivering a record £15 billion of Government investment to give people safe, efficient and reliable journeys, and provide businesses with the links they need to prosper and grow.

“Because people’s journeys are important to us we are setting out our high level aspirations which will help ensure the network continues to drive economic growth, jobs and prosperity, and keeps traffic moving today, and into the future."

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “This Government is making people’s journeys better, faster and safer to give people better access to jobs, schools and their community.

“We are planning to spend more than ever before to upgrade England’s motorways and major A roads from 2020 through to 2025.”

UK drivers suggested that traffic and congestion has worsened on motorways over the past year, according to the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring.