They're back and with Brexit looming, it may not be long before the ramifications of leaving the EU begins to crowd out almost all other issues from the agenda in both Lords and Commons.

But not quite yet - with their lordships, in particular, cranking up for a considerable clash over the Higher Education Bill. And watch out for a Commons-Lords clash on peers' call for an independent inquiry into the way the police complaints system dealt with allegations of corrupt relationships between the police and newspapers... a modest appetiser, with a government decision looming on press regulation.
The one imponderable is the eagerly-awaited Supreme Court decision on whether there has to be a Parliamentary vote on the triggering of Article 50 - if that arrives (and the timing is unclear), there will be huge pressure for a rapid Commons statement setting out the next moves.
If the ruling goes against the government, it will be a highly-charged event - and if the Supremes require a full scale bill to be passed, a frantic re-jigging of the legislative timetable will follow.
Here's my run-down of the week ahead:
The Commons re-opens (2.30pm) with Work and Pensions questions - doubtless to be followed by the usual crop of post-recess ministerial statements and urgent questions.
Then MPs are on a running three-line whip for the report stage, Legislative Grand Committee and third reading of the Technical and Further Education Bill - where the only amendments down are from Labour's Gordon Marsden, who is proposing a series of changes, mostly aiming to give learners a voice on the panels regulating their teaching, and to create a new duty for the government to publish strategy on careers education.
The select committee of the day is the Communities and Local Government hearing (at 4pm) on the Casey Review into Integration, with its author, Dame Louise Casey.
Her review was commissioned by David Cameron and recommended a new strategy to help bridge divides in the UK, including an "integration oath" to encourage immigrants to embrace British values, and greater focus on promoting the English language and securing "women's emancipation in communities where they are being held back by regressive cultural practices". It has been criticised for focusing on Muslim communities.
In the Lords (2.30pm) peers celebrate their return with an interesting crop of questions to ministers. There is (but of course) a Brexit question, this time from the Lib Dem, Lord Maclennan, on the government's intentions for publishing a green paper on Brexit negotiations; the Green Party peer, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb has a question about the Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing, and infiltration of various environmentalists and radical groups; and Labour's Lord Grocott wants to highlight the fact that the vast majority of hereditary peerages exclude women from inheriting, with a question about the Register of Hereditary Peers' compatibility with equalities legislation.
But that is just a preliminary skirmish before what may become full-on trench warfare over the Higher Education and Research Bill.
A cross-party alliance of peers fears that this could open the way for the full "marketisation" of higher education - and that could, unusually, lead to a series of votes being forced at committee stage (this is the first of two committee stage days timetabled for this week).
First up is a 'before Clause 1' amendment from Labour's Lord Stevenson. The tell-tale sign here is that it is co-signed by heavy hitters from other groups including Crossbenchers Baroness Brown of Cambridge, who was Vice-Chancellor of Aston University from 2006 to 2016 and Baroness Wolf of Dulwich, a professor at King's College, London; plus the Lib Dem Baroness Garden, which sets out core principles of academic freedom and independence as a preface to the bill.
That's closely followed by a second amendment from Lord Stevenson and Baroness Garden, specifying that UK universities should operate "on a not-for-profit basis". Labour sources are already warning that if the government does not amend the bill to meet their concerns, it can expect a long drawn out battle of a kind not seen since the Health and Social Care Bill, during the Coalition years.
Also on the agenda is a short debate on the role of the Armed Forces Covenant in ensuring those who serve and their families are treated with fairness and respect - led by the Bishop of Portsmouth.
The Commons meets at 11.30am for Foreign Office questions - after which the post-holiday backlog of statements and UQs may continue. Then comes a Ten Minute Rule Bill on Mutual Guarantee Societies from Labour and Co-Operative Party MP Christina Rees . The bill encourages small and medium size enterprises to join collectively to create a Mutual Guarantee Society to negotiate a better deal from banks.
MPs then polish off their consideration of the Commonwealth Development Corporation Bill, which will raise the limit on the financial support that can be provided to the CDC, the UK's development finance institution.
Amendments include a proposal from the Labour front bench to prohibit any new investment from going to an investment vehicle or company which uses or seems likely to use tax havens.
More detailed legislating follows and the Commons considers Lords' amendments to the Policing and Crime Bill. The government suffered four defeats on this measure in the Upper House - on issues including the maximum sentence for stalking, a "Hillsborough" provision on financial support for bereaved families at inquests involving the police, and on an independent inquiry into the way the police complaints handled allegations of corrupt relationships between the police and newspapers. Will the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, seek to reverse those changes, and if she does, will peers bat the bill back to MPs again?
In Westminster Hall, the Lib Dem Norman Lamb, a health minister under the Coalition, has a debate on supporting children's wellbeing and mental health in a school environment (9.30am-11am). Conservative MP Justin Tomlinson raises the issue of allocation of funding from the soft drinks industry levy for sport in schools (2.30pm-4pm) and the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has a debate on the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement (4pm -5.30pm)
Committee of the day is the Home Affairs hearing (2.15pm) on hate crime and its violent consequences. The witnesses include Joanna Mludzinska of the Polish Social and Cultural Association, and Taduesz K Stenzel of the Federation of Poles in Great Britain, plus Professor Matthew Feldman of the Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies, Teeside University, and Professor Matthew Goodwin, of the University of Kent.
In the Lords (2.30pm), the main legislating is on the detail of the Wales Bill.
MPs gather at 11.30am for International Development questions, followed, at noon by the first Prime Minister's question time of 2017. Next comes an interesting Ten Minute Rule Bill on Guardianship (Missing Persons) from the Conservative, Kevin Hollinrake.
Families with a missing loved one have been campaigning for guardianship powers for the past five years, to enable them to manage a missing relative's finances and property until they return, and ensure any dependents are looked after. Up to 1,500 adults are missing for longer than a year and, he says, the lack of guardianship powers means that families are powerless to deal with the practical challenges like ensuring bills are paid, homes are protected and dependents are looked after.
The result, he says, is that families are forced to stand by and watch as the life they hope their missing loved one will return to falls apart.
The main debate will be on a Labour Opposition Day motion, to be announced.
In Westminster Hall (9.30am-11am), the Conservative Anne Main leads a debate on pharmacies and integrated healthcare in England - she will talk about what pharmacies are doing at the moment, how they are funded, and make the case that pharmacies should be treating more minor ailments and chronic conditions to take pressure off GPs - and she will argue that pharmacies want to do more, and this should be reflected in their funding.
Labour's Rob Marris leads a debate on access to justice (2.30pm-4pm) and Karl Turner, who had a brief spell as Labour's shadow attorney general, raises the funding of Crown Prosecution Service (4.30pm -5.30pm).
Committee of the day is the Work and Pensions hearing (9.30am) on victims of modern slavery - with former senior judge, Baroness Butler-Sloss and Kevin Hyland, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. And keep an eye out for the Treasury Committee (2.15pm) which has one of its regular hearings with the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, and a supporting cast of BoE officials - always worth watching.
In the Lords (3pm) the main event is the week's second committee stage day on the Higher Education and Research Bill (see above). And there will be a short debate on equine welfare standards led by the Conservative, Lord Higgins.
It's Transport questions in the Commons (from 9.30am), followed by the weekly Business Statement from the Leader of the House - which may, among other things, confirm a date for the long-awaited vote on plans to move MPs out of the Victorian Palace of Westminster for five years, or more, to allow for a multi-billion pound renovation programme.
Or are ministers getting cold feet about the cost and gathering backbench opposition?
The main debates are on subjects chosen by the Backbench Business Committee - first, on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and then on security and the political situation in the African Great Lakes region.
In Westminster Hall (1.30pm) there's a debate on the Justice Select Committee's report on Restorative Justice, led by Committee Chair Bob Neill - and that's followed (3pm) by a debate on the future of the UK maritime industry led by the Lib Dem former Scottish Secretary, Alistair Carmichael.
In the Lords (11am) the main events are debates led by backbench Labour peers; Baroness Massey of Darwen, on the Institute for Public Policy Research's annual State of the North report; the former International Development minister Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on the treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority in Burma, and the former defence secretary and Nato Secretary General, George Robertson on the future capability of the UK's armed forces in the current international situation.
The House will also wave through the Savings (Government Contributions) Bill - which, as a money bill is considered untouchable by the Lords and will go through all its stages of consideration at a single gulp.
It's private members' bill time again in the Commons, from 9.30am. First up is the second reading for the Conservative Kevin Foster's Broadcasting (Radio Multiplex Services) Bill. He argues that at present, the costs and licensing system don't help small-scale radio stations and radio services to access to the DAB digital radio network and his bill aims to make digital access available to all small-scale operators.
Next comes the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill - the Conservative Tim Loughton aims to make the option of civil partnership available to straight couples (he was accused of trying to wreck the Gay Marriage Bill when he introduced an amendment on this issue, in 2013).
Third in the running order is the Workers' Rights (Maintenance of EU Standards) Bill, from Labour's Melanie Onn, which will be launched at an event on Wednesday, with Labour Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer and Liz Snape (President of the TUC and Assistant General Secretary of Unison) speaking.
The bill targets a key Brexit issue for Labour, so I can't help wondering if some of the usual suspects will be padding out the previous debates, to minimise, or even eliminate the time available to it.
And at 2.30pm, when the names of undebated bills are read out for their ritual parliamentary pole-axing, watch out for a shout of "Object" against Peter Bone's Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50) Bill.
If no-one objected, it would be deemed to have had an unopposed second reading and could go forward for consideration in committee. But someone will....a little end of day theatre, with points of order and show indignation.


Leeds owner Massimo Cellino made it clear he will quickly sack head coach Dave Hockaday if he feels appointing the ex-Forest Green boss was a mistake.

Hockaday, 56, was named as Brian McDermott's replacement on Thursday.
"Coaches are like watermelons, you only know [how good it is] when you open it," said the Italian.
"Sometimes I haven't fired a coach because I wanted to protect my choice. That is the more dangerous thing. You must protect the club, not your ego."
The former Cagliari owner explained why he appointed Hockaday when many of the club's supporters would have preferred a better known name, but maintained he would leave team matters to his new coach.
The fans have to trust me, that I am trying to change things, because what has been done over the last 12 years has not been right, because they are still in the Championship
"I didn't buy any players before choosing the coach. I was waiting to choose the coach first, and then make the decision. He asks for what he needs, we know how he's going to play, we know what we can afford - the financial part and the technical part must get along together.
"I like to buy players, I love to help the coach. I want to make him good."
Hockaday, who said he did not know whether Cellino intended to bring a director of football, described the arrangement as "very continental".
"He asked me to be his coach - to coach the players, to get them fit, to teach them, to improve them, to pick the team, to manage the team on a match-day, but that's it. That's what I do, it's my passion, so hand in a glove," said the former Hull City defender.
"I'm going to come here and work hard and that evidence will be seen on the pitch. I played for 20 years, over 650 senior games. I've coached at every level, in every league, from the Premier League to the Conference, that's what I'm about, and all of that has a relevance to what I bring here.
"I got promotion as a player five times, I got promoted from the Championship from Watford, I'm the sum of my experiences. You learn more about yourself in adversity."
Cellino said he would not be replicating what he said were mistakes made by the club in previous years.
"I've been told since I arrived here the club is a sleeping giant. I found out it wasn't sleeping, it was close to dead. Showbusiness is very important in football, but now is the time to be silent and to work.
"We want to do good, we have to respect the fans and we'd like to give them more than they expect, but I don't want to run a club with the pressure that if we don't go into the Premier League, and don't have the television money, we can't pay our debts.
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"What I've learned is sometimes to make the fans happy and the press happy by giving them big names, it kills the club, because you have to be able to afford to pay big wages, big money. My experience helps me to know what I'm doing.
"We need a lot of passion. For him it's a big challenge. I spoke with 20 coaches - no-one I liked except him. We spoke about position, players, what we like - we were talking about football, not money. Players are kids, with kids' psychologies - they are not men. Football is a very simple thing.
"The fans have to trust me, that I am trying to change things, because what has been done over the last 12 years has not been right, because they are still in the Championship."
Cellino said he was looking to move away from the club's Thorp Arch training complex, around eight miles north of the city.
"I don't think it is a very lucky place, it was built in 2002 and since then we are down. We are looking for somewhere new, nearer the ground."
He also said the club intended to retain striker Ross McCormack, who has been the subject of a £5m bid from Fulham.
"If Liverpool, Real Madrid or Paris St Germain came in I couldn't say to him no, but if another Championship club came in, McCormack belongs to Leeds. He says he's happy here. He says he loves it."


Wales football fans have been unable to buy replica shirts because stocks have almost run out.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) apologised, citing "unprecedented demand", with strips unavailable online and in short supply in shops.
Wales are currently at an all-time high of 10th in the Fifa world rankings and are on course to qualify for Euro 2016.
In a joint statement with supplier JD Sports, the FAW said new supplies would be available within the next few weeks.
JD Sports has an exclusive deal with the FAW, which means Wales' kit is only available in its shops and on its website.
Research by BBC Radio Wales' Good Evening Wales programme found shirts are sold out in the Cardiff city centre branch and only one XXL size shirt was available in Swansea.
In a statement, the FAW said: "Due to unprecedented demand for the official Wales replica kit, as a result of the team's on pitch success, stock is currently in short supply.
"We would like to apologise to any fans who may have been unable to purchase the kit at the moment. An additional order was placed after the successful launch period and is expected in our stores within the next few weeks."
The statement added planned stock numbers would be reviewed to meet demand in future.


The accused men sat behind the bars of their cage in blue prison-issue pyjamas, their heads close-cropped.

Once they had been some of the most powerful men in Libya, with the power of life and death over their fellow citizens.
Now they just looked old and diminished, and some looked ill. One former minister (he was later found not guilty) seemed to be suffering from advanced senility.
The most powerful of them all, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, was absent, as he had been for the entire trial. Col Gaddafi's son was locked in a prison nearly a 100 miles away.
It was hard to think that these men once inspired such terror. None of them seemed cocky or aggressive as they waited to hear what their punishment would be.
They sat quietly, some making nervous movements of their hands, one or two grasping the bars of the cage, others playing with imaginary worry-beads. One kept his eyes shut, moving gently backwards and forwards, muttering to himself.
When the sentences were read out, though, their faces didn't register much emotion - though one man winced as he heard what would happen to him:  life imprisonment.
One prisoner, overweight and tough-looking, suddenly collapsed. Leaning against the man next to him, his face turned a blueish-grey and his eyes sightless. It looked like a stroke or a heart-attack, but it turned out to be a powerful asthma attack brought on by the stress of the sentencing.
The presiding judge rarely glanced at the men in the dock; he must have seen them all so often during the past three years. He ran through the long list quickly and fluently.
Even when the lights went out - in Tripoli, the electricity supply is constantly being cut - he continued reading aloud with scarcely a beat missed, using the emergency red lights around his microphone.
No one could forget, though, that the star of the show was missing.  Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's sentence - death by shooting - was the first to be announced, and a little quiver ran around the court-room as it was. He may have been watching the proceedings in his prison in the centre of Zintan, in the western mountains. If so, he won't have been surprised.
By the last years of the Gaddafi regime Saif al-Islam was deeply loathed in Libya, even while politicians in Britain, France and Italy were behaving as though he was a close friend. His dubious PhD from the London School of Economics was regarded in Tripoli with scorn.
Yet he continued to lecture the nation on television, much as he lectured anyone who - like me - interviewed him, waving his forefinger in everyone's face.
At first, when the men from the Zintan group captured Saif al-Islam Gaddafi after the fall of his father in 2011, some of them treated him brutally.
They chopped off the admonitory forefinger, and, cradling his hand in a bloodstained handkerchief, he pretended his hand had been injured in a Western air strike.
A year or so later, some of his self-confidence had returned.  In 2013, when I went to Zintan to watch him make an appearance in court, he greeted me with a little of the old cheerfulness, glad perhaps to have a television camera to play up to again.
Is he now in danger of execution? His lawyers will no doubt appeal against his sentence, as those representing most or all of the other eight people condemned to death will do.
But Saif al-Islam's best protection is probably the fact that he's being held in Zintan. He's hated there as much as anywhere - the incident of the forefinger shows that - but the huge antagonism which exists between the Zintan group and the Tripoli government makes it highly unlikely that the Zintanis will hand him over now.
The relationship between Zintan and the predominantly Muslim Brotherhood government in Tripoli is so bitter that it will probably be the greatest factor in deciding Saif al-Islam's fate.
Was his trial, and that of the other members of the Gaddafi regime, a fair one? It was certainly more than a little chaotic, but that is only to be expected. To an outsider, it doesn't look like victors' revenge: the results are much more considered and varied than that. Four defendants were acquitted, including a former foreign minister.
The view of the International Criminal Court is that The Hague is the proper place to hold trials like this. Most Libyans would probably say that it's essential for them as a nation to sort out their own problems, by themselves.
What eventually happens to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the others sentenced to death will colour the way the outside world regards Libya in future. Life imprisonment will scarcely get any attention internationally; execution will attract the kind of criticism that Libya could well do without.


Manchester United have rejected an improved offer from Chelsea for England striker Wayne Rooney.

The bid, made late on Sunday, was £25m plus add-ons but United maintain the 27-year-old is not for sale.
Age: 27
Club: Manchester United
Previous club: Everton
Debut: Everton 2-2 Tottenham - 17/08/02
United appearances: 402
United goals: 197
England caps: 83
England goals: 36
Honours: Premier League (x5); League Cup (x2); Champions League; Fifa World Club Cup; PFA Player of the Year 2010
Rooney, who remains intent on leaving United, has been left out of their squad for Tuesday's pre-season friendly in Stockholm with a shoulder injury.
It is understood the striker picked up the knock during a behind-closed-doors match against Real Betis on Saturday.
Chelsea had an initial bid for Rooney, of about £20m, turned down by United in July and have again been knocked back, despite upping their offer.
United manager David Moyes has continually stressed that Rooney will stay with the Premier League champions but Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho remains determined to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
Rooney has been left angered and confused by recent messages coming out of Old Trafford, most noticeably the suggestion from Moyes that Robin van Persie is the preferred option up front.
The situation could come to a head later this week with Rooney giving serious thought to handing in a transfer request in order to force a move away from Old Trafford.
In October 2010, Rooney said he wanted to leave the club because of concerns over the strength of their squad, but signed a new five-year contract just days later.
He flew home from Thailand in July with a hamstring injury and has not played for the club since a substitute appearance in the 1-0 defeat by Chelsea on 5 May.


Virtual reality firm Oculus VR says its much anticipated headset, the Rift, will go on sale to consumers within the first three months of 2016.

Until now, the firm had only sold "developer" editions that were targeted at video games creators and did not represent the Rift's final design.
Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2bn (Â£1.3bn) in 2014, despite it not having released a commercial product.
The release date means that HTC's rival helmet should be the first available.
The Taiwanese manufacturer has promised to sell its own virtual reality headset, the Vive, to the public before the end of the year.
Oculus' launch date could theoretically coincide with that of PlayStation's Morpheus headset, which Sony has said will be released at some point during the first six months of 2016.
Unlike Morpheus, both the Rift and the Vive are designed to work with PCs rather than a video games console.
"All the hype around virtual reality grew up around Oculus over the last two years, and not to come to market before what is looking like a compelling proposition from HTC represents a moderate surrendering of the initiative," commented Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games at the IHS Technology consultancy.
"But I don't think we're talking about it missing out on huge sales volumes at what will be an early stage of demand for VR."
The virtual reality helmets will allow wearers to see both computer-generated and filmed images directly in front of their eyes.
Users will be able to change their view by moving their heads.
The idea is to give them a greater sense of immersion, helping owners feel as if they are actually within a video game or interactive film or documentary, rather than just watching it.
There was a previous attempt to popularise virtual reality technology in the 1980s and 1990s, but the limitations and high cost of the products limited demand.
However, after Oculus successfully raised $2.4m by crowd-funding in 2013 to make new kit, there has been growing interest in the idea.
Samsung already sells versions of Oculus' kit that use the screens and motion sensors of its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note handsets.
But the forthcoming launch of headsets designed to work with more powerful computers has raised expectations of what the associated software will be capable.
"We've got these higher-end devices coming to market, but what we haven't seen yet is fully-realised content," said Mr Harding-Rolls.
"We've seen technical demos or the occasional short level. But the E3 video games expo will be an opportunity for all the stakeholders involved to show off content."
E3 will take place in Los Angeles in June.
For now, potential buyers are being teased with a promise that the Rift has a "more natural fit" and an "improved tracking system" than earlier models shown off by Oculus.
"In the weeks ahead, we'll be revealing the details around hardware, software, input, and many of our unannounced made-for-VR games and experiences coming," the firm said on its blog.
"Virtual reality is going to transform gaming, film, entertainment, communication, and much more.
"E3 is just around the corner - this is only the beginning," it added.
Facebook's challenge is that HTC's Vive is being released as part of a tie-up with Valve, which is one of the leading video game developers in its own right, as well as being the owner of the best-selling PC games platform Steam.
Microsoft has yet to reveal whether it has virtual reality plans for the Xbox.
The firm has, however, shown off an augmented reality headset called the HoloLens, that it says will allow PC users to see graphics superimposed over views of the real world.
The firm has yet to give it a release date.


Plans to build two wind turbines in the Somerset countryside have prompted a campaign from unhappy local residents.

Energy Descent wants to put up two turbines at Cordings Farm near Wiveliscombe.
Protester Paul Aslett said: "If one goes up... it could open the floodgates and our countryside could be ruined."
The consultation period is in its final day and the application is due to be considered in mid-June by Taunton Deane Borough Council's planning committee.
Residents unhappy at the proposals have attended local parish council meetings which have been consulted as part of the planning process.
The turbines would have an overall height of 34.2m (112ft) to the tip of the blades.
Mr Aslett has also won the support of Bridgwater MP, Iain Liddell Grainger.
The Conservative MP has written to Taunton Deane Borough Council expressing his objections to the plans.
But Tristan Tonks, Energy Descent's client manager, said: "We would encourage people to understand the whole picture rather than take a view imposed upon them by lobbyists."
In April, Sedgemoor District Council turned down two applications plans to build wind turbines in East and West Huntspill.


A teenage motorcyclist has died following a crash on a country road.

Police said 16-year-old was in collision with a Mercedes van near Whitchurch, Hampshire, at 07:23 BST.
The teenager, from the local area, died a short time later in hospital. The van driver and his passenger, both 31-year-old men from Reading, were uninjured.
Police closed roads around the scene of the crash at the junction of Harroway and Bloswood Lane.


Uber is to merge its Russian business with local competitor Yandex, after the US ride-hailing firm spent millions to build a presence in Russia and other countries in the region.

Yandex, compared to a Russian Google, will own about 59% of the combined company, valued at $3.7bn (Â£2.9bn).
The deal heads off competition from Uber, which launched in Russia in 2014. Their rivalry had fuelled a price war.
Yandex's stock climbed 16% on Thursday.
Tigran Khudaverdyan, who heads Yandex.Taxi and will be boss of the new company, said the combination will boost rides for drivers and reduce wait times for passengers.
"This combination greatly enhances Yandex's ability to offer better quality service to our riders and drivers, to quickly expand our services to new regions, and to build a sustainable business," he said in statement.
Is ride-sharing giant Uber giving up on its China dream?
Uber: Travis Kalanick's rollercoaster reign
Yandex, which started in 1997 and has a search engine and other services, launched its taxi business in 2011. It is about twice the size of Uber's, according to data released to investors Thursday.
Yandex will contribute $100m to the new company, which will operate in 127 cities in Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
Uber, which will invest $225m and have a roughly 37% stake in the combined firm, sought to cast the deal as a way to make its finances sustainable and build on its growth.
The San Francisco company has been under pressure from investors to stem losses and move past a string of scandals that led to the ouster of its long-time chief executive Travis Kalanick.
"This is an exciting opportunity in a unique situation and our operations in other countries will not be affected," Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, head of Uber's business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, wrote in an email to employees posted on the firm's website.
Uber has also been recalibrating its global expansion strategy.
This spring, it said it would withdraw from Denmark after Denmark imposed tougher regulations.
Last year, it sold its Chinese business to rival Didi Chuxing after losing a reported $2bn trying to break into the market. In exchange, Uber received a stake in the combined company.
The arrangement with Yandex is somewhat similar.
Uber said it had invested $170m over three years in Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan, establishing itself in 21 cities.
But it faced a more established competitor in Yandex, which has a much bigger presence in the region.
The merger is expected to give the firm 5% to 6% of the Russian taxi market. Together, they deliver about 35 million rides each month.
"If you think about the opportunity ahead, I think it's tremendous," said Greg Abovsky, chief financial officer at Yandex.
If approved by regulators, the merger is expected to close by the end of the year.
The companies said both brands and apps would remain active for consumers. The two companies will integrate the apps for drivers.
Uber's food delivery service UberEats will also be part of the combined firm.


Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has appointed Rod Hansen as the force's new temporary chief constable.

He has taken the 12-month post following the retirement of Suzette Davenport last month.
PCC Martin Surl said the contract's length "reflected possible fundamental changes" to "key blue light services".
Mr Hansen has been Gloucestershire's deputy chief constable since 2013 after a career with Avon and Somerset police.
He said he wanted to "provide security, stability and vision for the constabulary" over the next year.
"I believe policing starts and ends in our neighbourhoods and one of our 'must wins' is around redefining what neighbourhood policing looks like in the 21st Century," he said.
Mr Surl said his decision to appoint a temporary chief constable had been influenced by "uncertainty over the future of the fire service".
He said: "The government is keen to see if a closer alignment would benefit both fire and police and lead to an even better service for the people of Gloucestershire.
"I have an open mind but if that proves to be the case, the responsibilities of the chief constable in 12 months' time could be very different to what they are today."
BBC West home affairs correspondent - Charlotte Callen
Rod Hansen has been appointed temporary chief constable for 12 months as there are ongoing discussions about whether the police and fire brigades might merge in the future to save money.
The government has said the services should discuss working together if it made financial sense. Rod Hansen made it clear to the BBC that he would like to do the job permanently if, or when, it is advertised.
For now, he's managing the force at a time of further cuts and following a critical HMIC report it will be a busy 12 months.


Political parties have clashed over what they were offering the Welsh economy at an election debate.

Politicians outlined their policies on a range of issues including Severn Bridge tolls, the banking system, tourism, and how Wales is funded.
The debate was hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Wales in Llanelli.
The panel was made up of those parties that already elect representatives to Parliament from Wales.
This issue includes the wider economy and deficit reduction but also employment and the role of business.
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
FSB members were addressed by Conservatives Wales' spokesman Stephen Crabb, Labour Wales' spokesman Owen Smith, the Liberal Democrats Welsh leader Kirsty Williams and Plaid Cymru's leader Leanne Wood.
One of the key issues on debate was Severn Bridge tolls.
Ms Williams said the Lib Dems would have a manifesto commitment to scrap them in 2018 when they come under public ownership.
The tolls were a tax on business, according to Ms Wood, who said she would aim to have them devolved and reduced, and possibly scrapped eventually.
Mr Crabb said they were already cutting VAT and the van rate for 2018 while Mr Smith said he was open to devolving them but they must be reduced.
Janet Jones, chair of the FSB, said: "We keep hearing that small businesses are the backbone of the country and now, before an election, is the time when politicians need to get out and speak to the people that are behind it."


Bruce Dickinson arrived for his BBC interview wet, hot, but in remarkably good spirits.

The lead singer with rock band Iron Maiden - and aviation fanatic - was at the Paris Air Show to unveil expansion plans for an aircraft maintenance business he started last year.
The usual chaos and gridlock, that have become an annoying inevitability of travelling to the show, were compounded by a lightning storm.
Mr Dickinson ended up abandoning his taxi on the motorway and walking a mile in the rain. But it has not dented his enthusiasm.
"It's great to be here," he says. "I've done Farnborough [the UK air show] but never Paris. It's all very exciting."
He left the show a few hours later, heading for Berlin where Iron Maiden's world tour continues. "But I should be back on Thursday," he says. Despite his love of all things aviation, Dickinson adds: "I'm here to do business, not watch the displays."
Last year, he set up Cardiff Aviation, a joint venture with business partner Mario Fulgoni, a pilot and airline executive.
They took over a fully-equipped former RAF maintenance facility at St Athan, just outside Cardiff. The site can park 20 narrow-body airlines, and the hangar is big enough to house a Boeing 767-300, just smaller than a jumbo jet. There is also a 6,000ft runway.
With an initial investment of Â£5m from a mix of government and private sources announced on Monday, the pair want to make it a centre for repairing and maintaining civil aircraft.
There are also plans to open a pilot training facility, and Dickinson is in advanced talks about setting up an airline leasing-cum-charter operation. It will be what is called an ACMI airline - providing aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance.
He says: "Asia and the Middle East is going to be where the huge growth in aviation will be. But the smart way to start an airline is not to spend huge sums of money up front, but to come to companies like us.
"Our ambition [at Cardiff Aviation] is to create a sort of one-stop shop," he says. "A lot of maintenance facilities are closing, especially in Europe because of high labour costs and inefficiency. We have not inherited that."
Dickinson said his business is close to securing a deal to become the sole provider of maintenance to an aircraft leasing company, and he was in Paris to discuss possible contracts with airlines.
He says: "It's early days, but our business plan is perfectly achievable. We are already in profit and have no big debts. I think that's pretty good."
The business employs about 80 people, though clearly if the expansion plans come to fruition that number will rise considerably, probably by many hundreds, he hopes.
There are complex certification procedures to pass, both for the maintenance operation and to start an airline. It will take time, he says, but things are progressing well.
Given the Iron Maiden fame, it's easy to assume that Dickinson's role in the venture is to open doors with prospective clients. "It helps," his business partner Fulgoni admits.
But it is clear that Dickinson loves being both an entrepreneur and involved in building something that could mean investment and jobs. Music, he said, is now a "part-time job" that brings in the money, he joked.
Dickinson went to his first air show aged five, and got his fascination with aircraft from his dad, an engineer, and uncle, who worked for the RAF. "Don't ask me to put up a shelf, but I love engineering."
And that was his cue to go off on a passionate five-minute rant about the failings of the educational system, and engineering itself.
"Teachers need to be more inspirational. But it's also up to engineering to make itself more interesting.
BBC News will be reporting from the Paris Air Show from 17-23 June
You will be able to find out the latest on BBC World News TV, on BBC World Service radio and on the BBC News website
Full coverage: Aerospace industry
"Engineering stimulates the mind. Kids get bored easily. They have got to get out and get their hands dirty: make things, dismantle things, fix things. When the schools can offer that, you'll have an engineer for life," he says.
He got his pilot's licence in 1991, gaining more qualifications and experience so that he could fly bigger planes on longer journeys. He began flying Iron Maiden on tour, and then got a job with the now-defunct British World Airlines.
Later he became a pilot for Icelandic-owned charter airline Astraeus. That collapsed in 2011. "I was in the air when it happened, flying a group of pilgrims returning from Jeddah to Manchester," he recalls.
He does not do much piloting these days. Some of the shine has been taken off the job, because most modern aircraft are flown by computers these days, not pilots.
"You just need a pilot in the cockpit in case something goes wrong," he says.
"It's still a huge thrill to take off and land. But when you are in a plane, you are in the hands of the engineers. That's where it's at these days."


Fly-half Sam Davies says is undaunted by his rivalry with Wales Six Nations pivot Dan Biggar for the Ospreys fly-half spot.

The 22-year-old has impressed for his region this season, helping them to rise to sixth in the Pro12 after a poor start to the season.
"I wouldn't say it's a daunting prospect, I've got to play the best I can when I'm playing," said Davies.
"Who knows what might happen when he (Biggar) comes back."
Davies has played 20 games for Ospreys this season, eight more than Biggar, who was also with Wales at the 2015 World Cup.
"He's (Biggar) doing well with Wales and when he does go away it's about me doing as well as I can for the team," said Davies.
"Hopefully the form can keep going and that will push Dan and myself further.
"We get along well, we have kicking competitions, and that does drag us both along and we are pushing each other."
The 2013 World Junior Player of the Year helped Ospreys to beat Edinburgh 27-13 last weekend in Biggar's absence, one of 10 Ospreys wins Davies has played in this season.
Davies hopes to play in another win at leaders Connacht on Saturday, 27 February and wants to impress Wales coach Warren Gatland.
He said: "There's a lot of fun football for me to feed off. It's going well for me and the team at the moment, and results are going our way.
"As a youngster, you grow up wanting to play for Wales and there's definitely ambitions there.
"But I can't look that far ahead in terms of when and where that might come."


New data has shown a "significant improvement" in tourism levels after the opening of the Borders Railway.

The Scottish Tourism Economic Assessment Monitor (STEAM) statistics compared the first half of 2016 to the same period the year before.
It is the first time in 10 years that every category saw improvement.
The company which produces STEAM data said the most likely source for the rise in tourism activity in the Borders and Midlothian was the railway.
The railway was officially opened by the Queen in September 2015.
Among the details revealed by the figures in the Borders were:
In neighbouring Midlothian some of the key findings were:
Scottish Borders Council's Stuart Bell said: "Tourism is absolutely vital to the Scottish Borders' economy, and that is why this substantial rise in tourism activity in the first half of 2016 is so important.
"For the first time in a decade, the Borders have shown improved results in every STEAM category - the only area of mainland Scotland to do so for this period.
"The introduction of the railway has undoubtedly contributed to these figures."
Midlothian Council's Jim Bryant said the railway was introducing more people to the area's "wonderful scenery and world-class attractions".
"We were always confident that Borders Railway would bring new jobs, more tourists and significant economic opportunities to the area," he said.
"These figures are testament to the fact, these benefits are already under way."
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf added that the opening of the railway had been "cause for celebration" in the area.
"We were always confident that, in time, it would deliver major economic opportunities and attract new investment," he said.
"It is therefore very pleasing to see strong evidence that visits are up significantly, alongside spending, as a direct result of the railway."
Danny Cusick, director of tourism at Scottish Enterprise, said it had "always been confident" the line would attract visitors.
VisitScotland Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead said the figures were evidence that the "enormous tourism investment" was having a "real impact on the local economy".
Alasdair Smart, the ScotRail Alliance's tourism manager, said it was proud to play its part in creating a "positive Borders Railway experience".


More than £60,000 has been stolen from people in Essex by scammers claiming to be computer support experts from Microsoft and other companies.

Victims were telephoned and told a fault had been detected on their machines and the problem could be fixed by giving the caller remote access.
The fraudsters charge £100 to "fix the fault" but remove up to £400 from people's bank accounts.
More than 120 people have fallen victim in the last two months, police said.
"The fraudsters claim to be from a variety of computer service companies and say they are from software tech support," said Det Insp Lee Morton from the Kent and Essex Serious Economic Crime Unit.
"If remote access is not granted, fraudsters may become aggressive.
"But once given access they will either load a fake virus on to the computer then give the impression that they have removed it, or they will gain access to bank accounts."
The force said legitimate computer companies would never make unsolicited phone calls to request personal information or to fix computers.


Former Welsh sprint champion Iwan Thomas has shared his experience of depression with Prince Harry at a Kensington Palace event.

The one-time European and Commonwealth 400m winner said he now realised he was experiencing mental health problems after injury cut short his career.
The pair flipped burgers together at a Heads Together charity event.
Prince Harry spoke of his regret about not talking about how the death of his mother, Princess Diana, affected him.
As they stood behind the hot coals wearing aprons the Prince asked the former 400m sprinter how the spate of injuries that ended his career affected him.
"What was it for you, was it a massive gaping hole - was it a form of depression?" he questioned.
Thomas replied: "I think yes, depression definitely. I didn't have one injury that was suddenly like 'you have to retire tomorrow' that almost might have been easier - being dealt a really bad blow."
"I'd loads of little niggling injuries whereby I looked like I was going to get back, I could train three or four days a week, I had a couple of seasons where it looked like I was going to run fast again, then another injury would come in.
"I kept trying and trying, thinking 'one more season, I can get back', that's all I wanted to do was get back to where I wanted to be, then quit, and I never got back."
In 1998 the sprinter had his best year, winning the 400m titles at the Commonwealth Games, European Championships and the IAAF World Cup, and was later tipped by Michael Johnson, who at the time was dominating the event, to take over his reign.
But he retired in 2006 after several injuries prevented him from competing.
Heads Together was founded by the Prince and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and has brought together eight mental health charities and organisations to tackle the stigma around depression and other psychological problems.
Other sporting stars turned out to support the event including the former England footballer Rio Ferdinand and Olympic gold medallists Victoria Pendleton and Dame Kelly Holmes.
Harry said to the ex-sportsman: "You've said you've never talked about it before - apart from standing around a barbecue with me - has it made it easier, the fact that people like Kelly, other people in similar situations to yourself, have come forward and started talking about it?"
Thomas agreed and said he had been helped by a former girlfriend and was now in a "happy place" and enjoying television work.


All patients should be given a brain scan after a stroke, even if it is a mini-stroke, say Canadian researchers writing in the journal Stroke.

This is because images of the brain can help doctors assess the damage done and predict the risk of another stroke occurring.
In the UK, guidelines recommend urgent treatment of high-risk stroke patients.
But the Stroke Association says thousands of lives could be saved by treating mini-strokes within 24 hours.
The research team, led by Dr Jeffrey Perry, associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Ottawa in Canada, tracked more than 2,000 patients who received CT scans within 24 hours of a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or non-disabling stroke.
A TIA is caused by restricted blood supply to the brain, and symptoms can last only a few minutes.
A CT scan combines a series of X-ray views to give doctors cross-sectional images of the brain.
The scans revealed that 40% had brain damage due to impaired circulation.
Doctors were looking for signs of newly damaged tissue due to poor circulation, previously damaged tissue and damage to any type of small blood vessel in the brain, such as narrowing of the small vessels.
A quarter of the patients showing all these types of damage to their brain in the scans had another stroke within 90 days.
This compared with 3.4% of people in the study group as a whole, making the scans a useful prediction tool.
Dr Perry said: "During the 90-day period, and also within the first two days after the initial attack, patients did much worse in terms of experiencing a subsequent stroke if they had additional areas of damage along with acute ischemia."
He added that doctors should be willing to use CT scans on patients within 24 hours of a mild stroke, even if symptoms do not last long.
"These findings should prompt physicians to be more aggressive in managing patients with TIA or non-disabling stroke who are diagnosed with acute ischaemia."
Other measures to prevent further stroke can include cardiac monitoring or medication to lower blood pressure, treat high cholesterol or prevent blood clots.
Chris Larkin, regional head of operations at the Stroke Association, said a mini-stroke can often be a warning sign that a major stroke is on its way.
"Each year, around 46,000 people in the UK have a mini-stroke [transient ischaemic attack or TIA].
"A quick response to stroke can significantly reduce the risk of death and disability.
"If patients with mini-stroke are assessed and treated as an emergency within 24 hours, the risk of a major stroke is reduced by 80%.
"This could prevent around 10,000 strokes each year in the UK and save over 3,000."


Goalkeeper Glenn Morris saved a first-half penalty and produced several other important stops as League Two leaders Doncaster had to a settle for a point at Crawley.

The Reds had former Gillingham man Morris to thank for keeping them in the match before half-time as they ended a run of three successive home defeats.
Rovers' leading scorer John Marquis, with 20 goals already this season, wasted a perfect opportunity to give his side the lead when he had a 25th-minute penalty saved.
Defender Mark Connolly gave away the spot-kick for bringing down Tommy Rowe and Marquis' tame penalty was saved to his left by Morris, who then kept out the rebound from Alfie May.
Rovers, with only one defeat in their previous 14 league games, were again denied by Morris after James Coppinger connected with a cross from Marquis.
A one-sided opening half also saw Marquis have a close-range shot saved by Morris after a strong run by May.
Crawley came to life shortly after the break when, from a free-kick by Dean Cox, defender Joe McNerney forced goalkeeper Tom Lawlor to parry his effort before James Collins put the rebound over.
Morris came to Crawley's rescue again when diving to keep out a low drive from Coppinger after a header from defender Andy Butler was cleared off the line.
Substitute Andy Williams almost snatched Rovers victory late on when his header was cleared off the line by Reds skipper Jimmy Smith.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Crawley Town 0, Doncaster Rovers 0.
Second Half ends, Crawley Town 0, Doncaster Rovers 0.
Craig Alcock (Doncaster Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Craig Alcock (Doncaster Rovers).
Rhys Murphy (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Niall Mason (Doncaster Rovers).
Corner,  Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Lewis Young.
Corner,  Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Joe McNerney.
Attempt blocked. Andy Williams (Doncaster Rovers) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner,  Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Lewis Young.
Mark Connolly (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gary McSheffrey (Doncaster Rovers).
Attempt blocked. James Collins (Crawley Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Mark Connolly (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gary McSheffrey (Doncaster Rovers).
Attempt blocked. James Collins (Crawley Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town).
Craig Alcock (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. James Collins (Crawley Town) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is high and wide to the left.
Corner,  Crawley Town. Conceded by Tommy Rowe.
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Gary McSheffrey replaces James Coppinger.
Attempt saved. James Coppinger (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Corner,  Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Jimmy Smith.
Attempt blocked. James Coppinger (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Crawley Town. Rhys Murphy replaces Billy Clifford.
Foul by Mark Connolly (Crawley Town).
Conor Grant (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Andy Williams replaces Alfie May.
Foul by James Collins (Crawley Town).
Andy Butler (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Mathieu Baudry (Doncaster Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
James Collins (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mathieu Baudry (Doncaster Rovers).
Foul by Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town).
Andy Butler (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jimmy Smith (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Jimmy Smith (Crawley Town).
Alfie May (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.


Michael Buble has cancelled appearances at two upcoming events so he can recover from surgery on his vocal cords.

The singer will now not perform at a Marvin Gaye tribute concert or attend a Canadian awards ceremony.
Writing on Twitter, he said there would be "no talking or singing for a while" once he has had the operation.
Buble reassured fans his "doctors expect a complete recovery" and thanked fans for their prayers and good wishes.
Fans responded to Buble's tweet with messages of support, while singer Josh Groban said: "Sending so much love and healthy thoughts to your one of a kind pipes, get well soon my friend."
Buble is the latest of several high-profile singers to take time out from performing after vocal surgery.
Adele and Sam Smith have both had vocal cord surgery in recent years and gone on to make full recoveries.


Major League Baseball hopes to stage regular-season games in Europe in two years' time.

MLB matches have already been staged in Japan, Australia and Mexico, but talks about London hosting games this year were abandoned last July.
"It is something we would really like to do in 2019," said MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
"We do think it's time. Whether it's 2019 or shortly thereafter that we play in Europe."


India has cancelled a licence allowing Greenpeace's local unit to receive donations from abroad, the environmental group says.

Greenpeace called it "another attempt to silence criticism".
In April, the government blocked the group's bank accounts, accusing it of violating tax laws and working against India's economic interests.
In May, the Delhi high court ordered two accounts to be unfrozen and allowed them to collect domestic donations.
The foreign funding licence was cancelled on Thursday, a home ministry official told the BBC.
The government order is the latest in a series of actions aimed at Greenpeace and a number of other organisations whom the authorities have accused of working against the country's interests.
"It is yet another attempt to silence campaigns for a more sustainable future and transparency in public processes," Greenpeace India said in a statement released late on Thursday.
It said cutting access to its foreign funding was "a desperate attempt to get us to cease our work", but added that since a majority of the group's funding came from Indian citizens, most of their projects would continue.
Greenpeace, which has been present in India for 14 years and employs 340 people, says it has been targeted because of its campaigns on issues such as pollution and harmful pesticides.
In April, while freezing its bank accounts for six months, the government accused Greenpeace of not fully declaring the amount of foreign funds it brings into the country.
India has also accused the environmental group of "stalling development projects" by protesting against large infrastructure plans.
Since coming to power in May last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has cracked down on several non-governmental organisations. Critics have accused him of showing undemocratic tendencies.
Earlier this year, India cancelled the registration of nearly 9,000 foreign-funded groups, saying they did not comply with the country's tax codes.


About 200 jobs are at risk in Northern Ireland after the department store chain British Home Stores (BHS) went into administration.

The company has four local stores in Belfast, Holywood, Newtownabbey and Lisburn.
They will continue to trade for now as the administrator tries to find a buyer.
The high street retailer has 164 shops across the UK putting almost 11,000 jobs at risk.
Administrators Duff & Phelps will now try to find a buyer for all or part of the 88-year old business and said BHS had "no alternative but to put the group into administration".
If a buyer is not found, it would be the biggest High Street collapse since Woolworths in 2008.
Business Live: BHS teeters on the brink
What went wrong at BHS?
Pension scheme at heart of BHS woes
11,000
employees
164
stores across the UK
£1.3bn - total debt
£571m - pension deficit
1928 - the year BHS opened its first store, in Brixton, London
BHS is "very unlikely to meet all contractual payments" as a result of its lower than expected cash balance, the administrators said.
The company, which has debts of more than £1.3bn, decided to bring in administrators after talks to sell some of its 164 UK stores to Sports Direct collapsed over the weekend.
It is understood any buyer would only be interested if it did not have to take on BHS's £571m pension deficit.
Last year, Retail Acquisitions, a consortium of financiers, bought BHS from the retail entrepreneur Sir Philip Green for £1.
At the time, Retail Acquisitions said they would deliver £160m of funding to help turn around the fortunes of the chain, but have not been able to raise the sum.
Last month, the brand was rescued from the brink after creditors voted to accept a cut in the rent bill for about half of its stores.
Despite the rent deal, BHS warned that it needed extra funding to continue trading.
It had been due to announce a new £60m loan last week, but failed to do so.


Millwall moved up to 12th in League One after an impressive third away win of the season at Port Vale.

The Londoners had four great chances to take the lead inside the first quarter of an hour, but had to wait until the second half to break the deadlock.
Mark Beevers opened the scoring as he headed in a corner from eight yards.
Vale's Enoch Andoh had chances to score either side of Beevers' goal before Lee Gregory hit a stoppage time penalty after he was fouled by Jak Alnwick.


A funeral has been held for John Yuill, one of two people involved in the car crash on the M9 police failed to investigate for three days.

Mr Yuill, 28, was found dead at the scene just off the motorway near Stirling on Wednesday 8 July. Lamara Bell, 25, died later in hospital.
The eulogy at the service was read by Mr Yuill's step-mother Anita Dollard in front of about 100 friends and family.
The funeral was held at Saint Francis Xavier's Church in Falkirk.
Ms Dollard described Mr Yuill as a livewire who talked constantly.
She said he was a great brother to his six younger brothers and sisters, a "cheeky chappy" and a "loveable rogue".
Ahead of the service Gordon Yuill, John's father, said: "Today, we lay our beloved son, John Yuill, to rest after his tragic accident on the 5th July 2015, which also claimed the life of his girlfriend, Lamara Bell.
"We would like to say thanks for all the support we have received from friends, family and the community."
A statement on behalf of the Bell family, addressed to John Yuill and his family, said: "With our deepest sympathy. For those we've loved and lost. We can never be more than a thought apart.
"For as long as they live in our memory they live on in our hearts.
"May friends comfort you, faith uphold you and loving memories heal your heart."
It emerged after the crash that it had been reported to police by a member of the public the previous Sunday.
Officers only attended the scene after receiving a second call from a different person.
Ms Bell died in hospital from injuries that included broken bones and kidney damage caused by dehydration.
A review into the way the police handle calls in their control centres is to be carried out, examining how control centre systems and staff manage, answer and prioritise calls.


A second man has been charged with murder after a man was shot in the back of the head, police have said.

Michael Blake, 28, died in hospital on 4 November after he was found injured near his Westhoughton home in Bolton.
Nathan Quigley, 30, of Cleworth Walk, Hulme, will appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court later after he was charged with Mr Blake's murder.
On Wednesday, Nathan Daniels, 27, from Stockport, appeared in court after he was charged with the same offence.
Another man, aged 26, has been held on suspicion of murder, while a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and has been bailed until 16 December.
A 52-year-old woman, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, was bailed until 25 January.


Brendan Rodgers' arrival as manager has Celtic players relishing rather than fearing the prospect of pre-season training, says goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

The former Liverpool and Swansea City boss has taken over from Ronny Deila.
"We can't wait to get in and see how he wants the team set up and how he wants us to play," Gordon told BBC Scotland.
"That's the most exciting part of it - going into pre-season. Normally, you dread going back in, thinking it is going to be hard work."
Celtic's close season is a short one as their new campaign starts with the second qualifying round of the Champions League on 12 or 13 July.
And, after chatting to staff at Celtic Park on Monday as fans queued to buy season tickets, Gordon came away with the impression that the choice of Rodgers has enthused others around the club.
"It is a massive appointment and a huge name with a great track record coming in," he said of Rodgers, who was greeted by 13,000 fans when he was presented as the manager.
"For me personally, it is very exciting and I think the rest of the players are of the same mindset.
"We are looking forward to getting down to the hard work and seeing what we can do this season."
Gordon was not surprised that Celtic - who have won five Scottish titles in a row - have been able to attract such a high-profile manager because of "the potential it has in Europe and the worldwide appeal that Celtic has".
"I can totally understand why Celtic went for a big name and why someone would want to come to Celtic as well - if somebody is willing to put footballing reasons above everything else," said the 33-year-old Scotland international.
Media playback is not supported on this device
City rivals Rangers return to the top flight after winning promotion and they, along with Hearts and Celtic, are reporting healthy season ticket sales.
"It looks like it's going to be a good league with some big teams who are capable of beating each other at the top end of the league, which is perhaps something we've not had in recent seasons," added Gordon.
"Obviously, with Hearts coming back up there and doing pretty well and capable of taking points off the other teams in the top six, there's potential there for teams to drop points.
"That's what makes it exciting for everybody to watch and also to play in as well."


Huge wildfires in the north of Los Angles in America, are causing hundreds of people to flee their homes.

The wildfires broke out on Friday and have now covered an area of 20,000 acres.
Hundreds of people living in a nearby town have been evacuated to the city of Santa Clarita for safety reasons.
400 animals from a nearby wildlife sanctuary have also been evacuated.
Around 900 firefighters have been working hard to tackle the flames, and are being helped by helicopters and aeroplanes dumping water.
The fires are being spread by high temperatures and strong winds, and weather forecasters have warned that the conditions are set to continue.


England Test pair Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed are set to feature for England Lions in a four-day tour fixture against South Africa A.

The Durham and Lancashire openers have been named in a 13-man squad for the game at Canterbury from 21 June.
Surrey opener Mark Stoneman gets a first Lions call-up along with Somerset teenage off-spinner Dominic Bess.
Bess, 19, is joined in the squad by Somerset team-mates Jamie Overton and fellow spinner Jack Leach.
Stoneman, 29, moved from Durham to Surrey in the winter and struck 197 in his side's recent County Championship defeat by Essex at Guilford.
The left-hander was tipped as a potential opening partner for Alastair Cook during England's tours to Bangladesh and India last winter, but found himself behind Hameed and Jennings.
"The lads in the winter who played did quite well," Stoneman told BBC Radio London last week.
"I imagine they're still at the front of the selectors' thoughts. But I've got to be scoring as many runs as I can to be there in the background if they don't play well or the selectors' decide they want to go in a different direction.
"I've just got to make sure my game is in good order and push for an opportunity."
Both Hameed and Jennings, who captains the Lions side, will hope to make significant runs ahead of England's Test series against South Africa next month. The pair average 19 and 39 in the County Championship respectively this season.
England Lions squad to face South Africa A at Canterbury (21-24 June): Keaton Jennings (Durham, capt), Mark Stoneman (Surrey), Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire), Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Ben Foakes (Surrey, wk), Sam Curran (Surrey), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Tom Helm (Middlesex), Jamie Porter (Essex), George Garton (Sussex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dominic Bess (Somerset).


An Emirates flight from Oman to Dubai was cancelled after staff found a snake on the plane.

Flight EK0863 from Muscat was grounded after baggage handlers found the serpent in the cargo hold.
A spokesperson for the airline, quoted by Dubai-based media, said the snake was found before passengers boarded the plane.
The aircraft was searched before re-entering service and arriving at its destination several hours later.
Emirates did not specify the species of snake, nor whether it was potentially dangerous.
Comparisons with the 2006 Samuel L Jackson thriller Snakes on a Plane, which sees passengers battle hundreds of highly poisonous snakes in mid-flight, inevitably emerged on social media.
But it's far from the first time a snake has tried to travel free of charge on planes from warm climates.
In November last year, passengers on a Mexico domestic flight were panicked by the appearance of a metre-long snake which dropped from the overhead compartments.
A 10ft (3m) scrub python was spotted clinging on to the wing as a plane made its way between the Australian town of Cairns and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea in 2013.
And in 2012, animal protection officers had to rescue a young Middle American smooth-scaled racer which arrived in Scotland on a flight from Mexico.


Schools in England are to be required to give vocational routes as much time as academic subjects to help students who want to land apprenticeships.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said ministers wanted to "level the playing field", making sure young people are aware of all options open to them.
Ministers raised concerns over some schools, which only promote vocational education to less able pupils.
Apprenticeship providers must be given access to schools, Mrs Morgan said.
She added: "As part of our commitment to extend opportunity to all young people, we want to level the playing field - making sure they are aware of all the options open to them and are able to make the right choice for them," said Mrs Morgan.
"For many young people, going to university will be the right choice and we are committed to continuing to expand access to Higher Education, but for other young people the technical education provided by apprenticeships will suit them better.
"That's why I'm determined to tackle the minority of schools that perpetuate an outdated snobbery towards apprenticeships by requiring those schools to give young people the chance to hear about the fantastic opportunities apprenticeships and technical education offer."
The responsibility for providing careers advice was handed to schools early in the last Parliament and many independent local careers advice services were scrapped.
This prompted concerns from further education providers that schools may only offer limited advice, rather than opening up the full range of options open to students.
The new legislation would require schools to collaborate with training providers, university technical colleges and colleges to make sure students were aware of all the paths open to them through apprenticeships, including Higher and Degree-level Apprenticeships.
The Department for Education said the government would look to bring in the legislation "at the earliest opportunity" with more details to be set out in the careers strategy.
Apprenticeship providers and staff from colleges would visit schools as part of careers advice from early secondary school years under the plans.
Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges (AoC), said: "To make informed choices for the future, young people need high quality, impartial careers information about all post-16 education and training options, including apprenticeships and technical and professional education.
"We have long been calling for an improvement to the system and welcome the changes outlined. Colleges recognise the critical nature of good careers education and will be very keen to continue to work together with their local schools. This announcement will make that a reality."


Welsh referee Nigel Owens said he hopes the teenager who sent him a homophobic tweet can move on with his life after he showed remorse and apologised.

The tweet from Edryd James, 18, of Cynwyl Elfed, Carmarthenshire, was investigated by Dyfed-Powys Police after complaints from the public.
The teenager apologised to Mr Owens at Carmarthen police station on Wednesday.
Mr Owens said he "applauded" Mr James for accepting he had made a mistake, adding it should not affect his life.
He told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement: "It takes a big man to say you're sorry and to do that and also to do that publicly as well sends out, I think, a strong message.
"I think the important message here is that people who are genuinely sorry for their actions, then we need to applaud them for that and accept what they did was wrong, it was a mistake.
"And then we can all move on and them and other people become better people for it."
The tweet was sent to the referee after he officiated England's 55-35 Six Nations victory over France at Twickenham.
Mr Owens said the people who complained about it were the ones who "can make a difference".
"When we have one individual or a few people shouting something in a stadium of 70, 80, 90,000... when you have more people turning around telling them 'there's no place for that here' then it does send out a strong message.
"And I think the same goes for social media as well.
"Those are the people who deserve the credit and can make a difference."


Businesses need stability after the UK government's High Court defeat over the trigger for leaving the EU, Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has said.

He said he was disappointed that judges ruled ministers could not invoke Article 50 - starting formal Brexit negotiations - without MPs' approval.
Mr Cairns was at a breakfast meeting with business leaders in Cardiff.
Welsh Conservative MP David Davies warned attempts to block Brexit could lead to an early general election.
Mr Cairns told BBC Wales that there was an "obligation" on politicians in all UK parliaments to give firms certainty about the UK's departure from the European Union.
"What investors and employers want is the direction of travel and that's what we're focused on," he said.
The UK government has said it intends to appeal against Thursday's High Court ruling.
First Minister Carwyn Jones has said that would be a mistake, but on Friday the Welsh Government announced it would apply to have a voice in the appeal.
Mr Cairns claimed the UK was in a "strong position" on the Brexit negotiations as it had one of the world's fastest growing economies.
He said he wanted to work with the Welsh Government to get "a good deal" for Wales, and also wanted to work with Europe.
"It's in our interests that Europe grows and it's in Europe's interest that the UK and Welsh economies grow," he said.
Mr Davies, MP for Monmouth and chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, warned that politicians seeking to keep the UK in the EU would now use the judges' decision to try to block Brexit.
"There'll be members of parliament looking to find excuses and flaws in the legislation that the government bring forward and the negotiation package, if you like, to try and vote against it," he told BBC Radio Wales.
"This is all about trying to undo the result of the referendum - let's be in no doubt about that."
He added: "This could easily lead to an early general election if that's what it takes to get this sorted out."
But Labour's Shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said Parliament now needed to do its job and scrutinise the UK government's approach to Brexit.
"How we leave the European Union was not on the ballot paper and there are a number of ways in which that could happen," she told BBC Radio Wales.
"There's no consensus on that yet because the government haven't yet disclosed any details of how they intend to approach both the negotiations and the end point when we leave the EU.
"So of course Parliament should scrutinise those plans - that's exactly what Parliament is there to do.
"The court decision yesterday simply says, as we all knew, that Parliament has a clear role - a legal role, a constitutional role and an incredibly responsible role to try and influence how that exit happens."
However, Pontypridd Labour MP Owen Smith told the BBC's Daily Politics programme he could "potentially" vote against the triggering of Article 50 in a Commons vote.
"Most [Labour] colleagues feel that we couldn't possibly do anything other than trigger Article 50 - I disagree with them," he said.
"If we have no further clarity as to whether Britain is going to be better or worse off as a result of the ending of the negotiations then I think the right thing for me to do on behalf of my constituents is not to vote to make them worse off."


Thai police have banned imports of a book by a Scottish journalist because it is "insulting to the country's monarchy".

A Kingdom In Crisis, by Andrew MacGregor Marshall, was released last week by British publishers Zed Books.
Thai police chief General Somyot Poompanmoung said its contents "might affect national security and order".
Anyone violating the ban faces a maximum three years in jail, a fine of 60,000 baht (Â£1,160), or both.
Marshall, 43, was a journalist for Reuters for 17 years, including two years as the agency's Baghdad bureau chief, from 2003 to 2005,  as violent insurgency gripped Iraq.
He also spent two years, from 2006 to 2008, as managing editor of the Middle East region.
Marshall resigned in 2011 amid claims that the news agency refused to publish stories he was writing on the Thai monarchy.
His book ban comes as a crackdown against anti-royalist campaigners intensifies after a political coup earlier this year.
In 2006, Thailand banned imports of a biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej published by Yale University Press.


After four years of savings announcements from local authorities, the numbers can seem incomprehensible.

Millions of pounds have been slashed from council budgets by central government, thousands of jobs have been lost and services affected.
This year, on Merseyside the headlines seem less dramatic, but maybe that's because the narrative of 'cuts' has become established.
In Liverpool two years ago the city council withdrew school uniform grants from 24,000 pupils whose parents struggled to afford blazers and shirts and cut funding for youth mental health.
Analysis: Arif Ansari, BBC North West political editor
Local government in the North West has been hit harder by spending cuts than any other region in England.
Ministers are trying to reduce the deficit and that means targeting the bigger budgets.
Larger city councils get the most cash to deal with the most pressing social problems.
Even if the local government budget had been frozen, council leaders would have been making savings due to rising costs, particularly adult social care. But, in fact, local government spending has been reduced more than any other department.
Labour accuses the government of punishing Northern councils at the expense of more affluent ones in the South. The government points out that they still get far more funding.
The best councils have responded by becoming much more collaborative, innovative and efficient.
But undoubtedly some are struggling to cope.
So far it's estimated North West councils have had their budgets reduced by a third since the general election. And there's no sign the pressure is about to ease.
Last year they started a consultation on closing half the city's libraries. Earlier this year, the Mayor announced they have now been 'saved'.
That said, libraries across Merseyside are still perhaps bearing the most visible brunt of the cuts. Almost all our councils have reduced opening hours - and in Sefton seven libraries have closed.
Plans to allow local community groups to run them have stalled.
Lollipop crossing patrols are also under review at most councils, with schools being asked to fund them instead of councils.
In Wirral some street lights have been turned off in a bid to save cash (though they are now back on); in Sefton charges for burials have gone up, and in Liverpool some council-run leisure centres are under threat.
Local councils are still haemorrhaging jobs. In St Helens, for example, 1,600 posts have gone since 2010.
Whilst cuts to services inevitably attract the headlines, most of the savings have been behind the scenes as councils fundamentally change the way they operate.


Boreham Wood and Guiseley played out a goalless draw at Meadow Park.

Guiseley, looking for their fourth straight win, had to dig in early on with two clearances on the line as the hosts flew out of the blocks.
Boreham Wood continued to press, but a combination of Femi Ilesanmi missing a glorious chance and great work from goalkeeper Jonathan Maxted kept it 0-0 at the break.
The visitors came into the contest more in the second half but both sides struggled in front of goal as Boreham Wood drew 0-0 for the third time in four games.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Boreham Wood 0, Guiseley 0.
Second Half ends, Boreham Wood 0, Guiseley 0.
Substitution, Guiseley. William Wells replaces Elliot Green.
Ashley Palmer (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card.
Matt Paine (Boreham Wood) is shown the yellow card.
Simon Walton (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card.
Ben Nunn (Boreham Wood) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Guiseley. Michael Rankine replaces Kevan Hurst.
Ashley Palmer (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card.
Jake Cassidy (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card.
Second Half begins Boreham Wood 0, Guiseley 0.
First Half ends, Boreham Wood 0, Guiseley 0.
Substitution, Guiseley. Derek Asamoah replaces John Rooney.
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


A march is to be held in Scunthorpe to support hundreds of workers facing redundancy due to the UK steel crisis.

Union leaders and MPs will join workers at the event in the town on Tuesday following the announcement 900 jobs would go at the Tata Steel plant.
Anna Soubry, the minister for small business, visited the plant earlier to discuss what can be done to protect the long term future of steel making there.
The industry blames cheap Chinese imports for a collapse in steel prices.
Tata has pledged Â£3m to help create jobs in the town, with another Â£6m provided by the government.
Conservative MP Ms Soubry said: "There are other parts of this business which I think have huge potential, so my job is to make sure that we continue to make steel here in Scunthorpe. That's what we are determined will happen."
Thousands of people have signed petitions calling on the government to do more to help protect jobs at the plant.
On Saturday, fans of Scunthorpe United will stage a show of support by creating a 'wall of light' with their smartphones.
Tony Gosling, a steelworker who chairs the football club's supporters society, said: "The steelworks is intrinsically linked with Scunthorpe and its football club, many of our members will be affected by the proposed job losses.
"We really appreciate the effort the football club are putting in to show solidarity with steelworkers."


Inside Out  was the big winner at this year's Annie Awards for animation on Saturday.

The film won 10 prizes including best animated feature and best director for Pete Docter.
The Disney/Pixar film beat fellow nominees Shaun the Sheep Movie, The Peanuts Movie and The Good Dinosaur.
Inside Out, which travels into the mind of an 11-year-old girl, is nominated for two Oscars, including best animated feature.
Despite not winning the top prize, 3-D adventure The Good Dinosaur, also from Pixar -  about the young dinosaur Arlo who becomes friends with a human - won the award for best animated effects.  Overall, Pixar took home 11 awards.
He Named Me Malala, the documentary about the Pakistani schoolgirl who survived an attack by the Taliban, earned the award for animated special production.
Though a documentary, the film uses animated sequences to tell mythical elements of Malala's story, as well as trying to tell the story of her life in Pakistan.
Boy and the World - a film about the young boy Cuca who has to survive alone when his father leaves in search of work - received the Annie for the best animated independent feature.
This is the first year of this award following the decision of Asifa-Hollywood, the organisation behind the Annies, to split the best animated feature category into two to give less-seen films a chance at a prize.
In the TV categories, long-running hit series The Simpsons took home the best animated TV show award.
Disney also did well, taking home five awards - three for Disney Mickey Mouse, one  for Wander Over Yonder and the other for Gravity Falls.
Boy and the World will compete with Inside Out again for the best animated feature Oscar at the Academy Awards on 28 February.
Anomalisa, Shaun the Sheep Movie and When Marnie Was There are also nominated.
The Annie Awards and the Oscars have not always seen eye to eye, since the best animated feature Oscar category was introduced in 2001.
Last year, How to Train Your Dragon 2 won the best feature Annie, while the Academy Award for best animation went to Big Hero 6.


The El Niño weather event is expected to gain in strength before the end of this year, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

In its latest update, the WMO says the 2015 occurrence will be among the three strongest recorded since 1950.
Severe droughts and significant flooding in many parts of the world are being attributed to this El Niño.
The WMO warn these impacts are likely to increase and this event is now in "uncharted territory".
El Niño is a naturally occurring weather episode that sees the warm waters of the central Pacific expand eastwards towards North and South America.
The phenomenon, which happens every two to seven years, usually peaks late in the calendar year, although the effects can persist well into the following spring.
This year's El Niño seems to be following that pattern.
According to the WMO, the peak three month average water surface temperatures in tropical Pacific will exceed 2C above normal.
It is the strongest event since 1998 and is expected to be among the three most powerful ever recorded.
El Niño tends to see higher global temperatures than normal but its regional impacts are highly variable.
This year has seen active hurricanes in the eastern Pacific. In South East Asia, El Niño has been associated with a drought which helped increase wildfires in Indonesia and caused a dense haze in parts of the country.
El Niño is also believed to have played a role in reducing the impact of this year's monsoon in India.
In East Africa, enhanced rainfall is expected between October and December. Southern Africa is experiencing prolonged dry weather amid worries over the survival of crops and cattle.
"Severe droughts and devastating flooding being experienced throughout the tropics and sub-tropical zones bear the hallmarks of this El Niño, which is the strongest in more than 15 years," said WMO secretary-general Michel Jarraud.
The authorities in California are expecting that El Niño will bring extremely wet conditions to the state in the early part of 2016. Sandbags are being stockpiled, storm drains are being cleared and extra staff are being taken on to deal with possible flooding.
While stressing that El Niño is not the only factor driving global climate patterns, the WMO says that the implications of the weather system in a warmer world are uncertain.
"This event is playing out in uncharted territory. Our planet has altered dramatically because of climate change, the general trend towards a warmer global ocean, the loss of Arctic sea ice and of over a million square km of summer snow cover in the northern hemisphere," said Mr Jarraud.
"So this naturally occurring El Niño event and human induced climate change may interact and modify each other in ways which we have never before experienced," he said.
"Even before the onset of El Niño, global average surface temperatures had reached new records. El Niño is turning up the heat even further," said Mr Jarraud.
Scientists are meeting in New York this week to try and increase our understanding of El Niño and to predict the anticipated global socioeconomic shocks.
Follow Matt on Twitter.


Tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests across Brazil against planned reforms to the pension system.

In the capital Brasilia, hundreds occupied the finance ministry, while in Sao Paulo, demonstrators brought traffic to a standstill.
President Michel Temer says capping pension benefits and raising retirement age is needed to fix the country's finances.
Brazil is going through its worst recession in more than a century.
The government plans to set the minimum age of retirement at 65.  The decision has provoked much anger, as many people are able to draw their pension at 54.
But President Temer said the reform was needed to prevent a collapse of the pension system.
"No one will have their rights taken away," he said on Wednesday, and he described the planned reforms as necessary to save "the benefits of today's retirees and of the  young who will retire tomorrow".
President Temer said the austerity measures were needed now, in order to prevent a future crisis such as that suffered by Portugal, Spain or Greece.
However, protesters are not convinced by the president's arguments.
"We're on strike for the future of the country," said Mirna Aragon, a teacher protesting in Rio de Janeiro.
The opposition says President Temer is punishing ordinary  Brazilians, who are already suffering from a record 12.6% unemployment rate, around 13 million jobless.


A reward of £20,000 has been offered by police for information leading to the killer of a man shot dead in east London five years ago.

Errol McKenzie was shot three times at close range on 11 April 2010, at the Seymour Road playing fields, Leyton.
Detectives said there was still no obvious motive for the 37-year-old's murder.
He is known to have left Tottenham at 22:45 BST to travel to Leyton that night.
Mr McKenzie was seen on CCTV buying alcohol in a local shop at 23:15 but instead of going to his home a few minutes away, he headed to the park.
Det Ch Insp Dave Whellams said it was still not known how Mr McKenzie travelled back to Leyton.
He added: "Was Errol due to meet someone that night in the park? He was there for at least half-an-hour before he was found dead.
"I would ask anyone who saw Errol on his journey that night to get in touch."
Mr McKenzie was well-known locally and nicknamed "Cable Guy" or "Cable Man" because of his job fixing cable boxes and electrical equipment.
A take away food carton, the alcohol he bought and a carrier bag containing two cable boxes were found next to his body.


A "secret" underground telephone exchange has been included on a list of buildings at risk from neglect.

Parts of the Burlington Bunker, near Corsham in Wiltshire, have been included on Historic England's At Risk Register for the first time.
The Prime Minister and 4,000 government personnel would have been relocated there in the event of a nuclear war.
The site remained secret until 2004. Parts of the exchange are described as being in "very bad" condition.
Nick Croxson from Historic England said: "Because it's underground there are problems with damp.
"We've been working closely with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over several years to try to install dehumidifiers."
Mr Croxson said a partnership agreement between Historic England and the MoD was being set up to set out a framework of how to manage the site in future.
The rooms, which are part of the Corsham Tunnels, are 100ft (30m) underground and were adapted to a government facility in the 1950s.
The massive complex was designed to safely house up to 4,000 central government personnel in the event of a nuclear strike.
In a former stone quarry and codenamed Burlington, it was to be the site of the main Emergency Government War Headquarters - the hub of the country's alternative seat of power outside London.
Historic England's register provides an annual snapshot of historic sites known to be at risk from neglect, decay or inappropriate development.


Safety concerns have been raised over proposals to turn part of the M4 into a "smart motorway".

About 32 miles (51km) between London and Theale, Berkshire, would be widened in both directions to four lanes, using the hard shoulder.
Some motorists and the RAC have said the lack of a hard shoulder would leave motorists in a vulnerable position if there was a breakdown.
The Highways Agency said there would be refuges for broken down vehicles.
Senior project manager Andrew Hitch said converting the hard shoulder into a lane would also discourage motorists from stopping for non-emergencies, such as to answer their phones.
Smart motorways also use a range of new technology, including electronic signs, to vary speed limits in response to driving conditions.
They are managed and monitored by the Highways Agency's regional control centres using CCTV.
Steve Bowles, who regularly uses the M4 for his haulage business, described the lack of a hard shoulder as "scary".
"I want to deliver the cargo safely. I don't want to deliver it in a dangerous way on a dangerous motorway," he said.
Simon Williams, of the RAC, said the permanent use of the hard shoulder as a running lane would put lives at risk.
"The chances of being able to get into a refuge area are reduced because of the spacing between them, which is up to 2.5km," he said.
Similar schemes already operate on stretches of the M25 and M1.
The proposals, which went on public display earlier at Reading's Madejski Stadium, include upgrading or replacing 11 overbridges and five underbridges as part of the Â£700m project.


The founder of a group taking supplies to migrants in Calais says the number of people pledging to donate has doubled since pictures of drowned Syrian boy Alan Kurdi emerged.

Supporting Sisters was set up to distribute sanitary products to homeless women in the UK but recently started sending supplies to Calais.
Founder Georgia-Blue Townshend from Colchester said they had been "inundated" with offers of help.
The group plans to make a monthly trip.
"Since the photo was published I've seen double the amount of people contacting me asking how they can help and donate," Ms Townshend said.
"We have a huge supply of maternity pads - about 60,000 - so we wanted to take some of those over," she said.
Since starting fundraising in early August, the group has raised almost Â£3,000 and took a van full of supplies to Calais last weekend.
"We put a message on Facebook to say we were going in a van, so if people had donations we could take them.
"I was inundated with hundreds of people offering stuff for us to take. The amount of support was fantastic."
Members of the group who took the supplies to Calais had found the experience "overwhelming", the 22-year-old added.
"One thing that stuck in their minds were half-naked children playing in rubbish in the camps, where there are no bins.
"It was incredibly distressing - the kids were smiling because they were safer in that rubbish than where they'd come from."


Calls have been made for a secret report on police corruption to be published on the anniversary of the murder of Welsh private eye Daniel Morgan.

It is 29 years since the killing, and claims police corruption prevented a conviction have been investigated.
Labour MP Paul Flynn said the Tiberius report proved the depth of the problem in London.
The Metropolitan Police said it was keeping it secret to "protect life".
Daniel Morgan, 37, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, was found with an axe in his head in a pub car park in Sydenham, South London, on 10 March 1987.
The Newport West MP tweeted calling for the secret report to be published "on the anniversary of Daniel Morgan's brutal murder to prove [the] scale of police corruption".
The report claims more than 40 serving officers were working with eight crime syndicates to help them evade justice for crimes including murder and drug trafficking.
Mr Flynn said he saw the report last year "under very strict surveillance" when he was a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
In an early day motion in parliament, he said it "reveals the astonishing breadth and depth of police corruption among the London police".
"It's an amazing document," he said.
"It sounds like Chicago in the 1920s, not like Dixon of Dock Green's police that we know and love."
He added: "Everyone should realise the scale of the problem."
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said: "By its very nature it is a secret document that details the threat of corruption to police employees posed by serious and organised criminals.
"The passage of time does nothing to reduce the very real risks to anti-corruption tactics, intelligence sources or current operations. This is not about refusing to be transparent but protecting life."


The union boss who led striking ferry workers in Calais has apologised for the disruption caused in the UK but has not ruled out fresh action.

MyFerryLink staff occupied two ferries and blocked the Channel Tunnel in July and August in protests over job losses.
The disruption to cross-Channel traffic led to Operation Stack's implementation on the M20 in Kent numerous times.
Eric Vercoutre, of Syndicat Maritime Nord, said: "We're truly sorry about what happened."
However, he warned there could be more strike action next month.
"If, on the 1st October, we don't get the redundancy payments that we're legally entitled to and our September wages we'll blockade the port again."
MyFerryLink staff began blockading the Port of Calais in June ahead of the company ceasing operations on 1 July, with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
After weeks of disruption, the dispute between the French government and ferry workers was resolved last week, with a deal to employ 402 French workers with Eurotunnel and DFDS Seaways.
"Our aim really wasn't to make life difficult for the British," Mr Vercoutre said.
"It's always the people lower down who suffer - lorry drivers, employees - that's not the aim.
"The aim is to make those higher up do something, ministers both in the UK and France.
"They only do something when we set tyres on fire, when we block miles of roads. They only react then, that's just not right."
But Donald Armour, of the Freight Transport Association, said the French government had not done enough to broker a deal to prevent further blockades.
"It looks like a pussyfooting deal. There doesn't seem to be any real negotiation behind it," he said.
"If it was done properly we'd like to have seen Calais and the Cocquelles area made a strike-free zone as part of the settlement.
"All we can do, through the government, is express our concern because the French are still holding a gun to the UK economy's head. That's no settlement for us."
Mr Armour said his organisation was pushing for compensation from the French government but it would be "very difficult" to get and "no promises" were being made to members.


Wharton Park in Durham City is to close for one year as work gets under way on a £3m restoration.

The park was opened to the public in 1858 and was the site of the first Durham Miners' Gala in 1871.
The project will see a new heritage centre, cafe and play areas built, along with the restoration of the park's amphitheatre and footpaths.
A Durham County Council spokesman said it was great to see work getting under way on the city's "hidden gem".
The project received a £2.45m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and additional funding from Durham County Council and the council's Durham Area Action Partnership.
Wharton Park closes for 12 months on 11 May.