Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 93:"Page 23, line 33, after ““vehicle”” insert ““or pedal cycle””" The noble Lord said: The purpose of the amendment is clear and simple. If people are cycling and using mobile phones at the same time, they present a hazard not only to themselves but to other road users. We can send out a strong message to all road users that the use of mobile phones can result in them not paying sufficient care and attention to what is happening and therefore putting themselves and others in danger. I suspect that the Minister will tell the Committee that it is already an offence to be in charge of a cycle while not properly in control of it, and that using a mobile phone while cycling demonstrates that the cyclist is not cycling safely. If cycling while using a mobile phone is an unsafe and undesirable practice and the Government are aware of the problem, why should there be a specific offence that applies to motorists but no specific offence that applies to cyclists? I would be grateful for any explanation to justify such a distinction. I fear that identifying a particular example as a specific offence might undermine the general message that people should have full control over their vehicles while driving and indeed full control over their bicycles while cycling. That is the amendment’s import, which would make it apparent that even the Government accept that vulnerable road users, even if they do not happen to be at the wheel of a car, have a duty to themselves and others. I beg to move.