Road Safety Bill [HL]

I have tabled Amendment No.   58 and Amendment No. 60 in this group, which are similar to ones the other day—probing amendments, highlighting that the Government are making a mistake in simply equating the gravity of a speeding offence with the extent to which the limit was exceeded. It is apparent to everyone who has studied the subject that the circumstances in which speeding takes place are important. I do not agree with some of the earlier comments that—always—exceeding a speed limit of 30 miles per hour is the same offence. I think some 58 per cent of road users in urban areas often ignore speed limits. It is important that the motorists accept the speed limits, and it might be that at some times we need to be more flexible about changing speed limits. At some times, such as outside a primary school during the day, even if it is in a rural area, the limit needs to be 20 miles per hour. But it might be a very good road at 12 o’clock at night, when you would have a job to convince a driver that he should travel past that school at only 20 miles an hour. As we have heard in this Chamber, there are many different views on this subject. The Government have referred to the gravity of the offence and the amendments seek to probe what the Government have in mind in regard to how the gravity of the offence will be assessed. As my noble friend Lord Dundee said, the matter is going out to consultation, and many views will be submitted before the Government reach a firm conclusion. However, at this stage of the Bill we should know more about the Government’s thinking on how they intend to determine the new points system.