Government’s new road laws - Introduction

The re-elected Labour Government is pushing ahead with its Road Safety Bill.

The bill could not be passed before Parliament was dissolved for the General Election, but has been included in the Queen’s Speech of future measures today.

It is almost identical to the bill that was put first put forward last November, and so includes proposals for a pilot programme of alcohol locks on drink-drivers’ cars, a ban on laser- and radar-based speed-camera detectors and penalty points for motorists using a mobile phone at the wheel.

Controversial plans to reduce the number of penalty points given to some speeding motorists also survive, and remain opposed by influential Labour MPs such as Gwyneth Dunwoody and safety groups such as Brake.

Opponents argue the proposal to give two points, rather than three, to motorists travelling up to 39mph in a 30mph zone makes no sense considering how much more likely a pedestrian is to be killed at this speed. A Whatcar.com poll showed 82% of motorists supported the more lenient penalties when the bill was initially introduced last November, however.