HC Deb 31 January 1985 vol 72 cc263-4W
Mr. Lilley

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he can now announce his plans for a review of road traffic law.

Mr. Ridley

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and I are concerned that road traffic law should not only promote road safety and efficient traffic management, but should also be fair, easy to understand, and capable of effective enforcement. The present law, which has developed piecemeal, does not always fulfil these aims.

We propose to continue the process of reform first announced in our election manifesto of 1979 by reviewing a number of aspects of the law which are causing particular difficulties.

With the agreement of our right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland we are therefore setting up a small review with these terms of reference.

"To consider what improvements might be made to the following aspects of road traffic law, particularly in respect of simplification, effectiveness and acceptability, taking account of their relationship with other aspects of road traffic law:

  1. (a) the structure of and penalties for the offences in sections 1–3 of the Road Traffic Act 1972: causing death by reckless driving; reckless driving, and careless driving;
  2. (b) whether the present penalty points system needs any amendment, and, in particular, whether offences which are endorseable with penalty points can be divided into "points" and "no points" offences;
  3. (c) the structure of and penalties for offences relating to—
  1. i. driver licensing
  2. ii. construction and use and
  3. iii. failure to comply with traffic signs;

(d) whether new types of penalty for traffic offences would be appropriate in place of or in addition to existing types of penalty, in particular the possible wider application of statutory driving tests for certain types of offences or in cetain circumstances.

The review will be carried out by an independent chairman, a second outside member and members from my department and from the Home Office. Dr. Peter North, principal of Jesus college, Oxford, has accepted our invitation to chair the review body, and Professor Richard Alsopp, Professor of Transport Studies, University College, London, to be the second outside member. The official members will be:

Home Office Mr. G. L. Angel Mr. P. Harris

Department of Transport Mr. T. H. Hall Mr. D. M. Smith

We hope that the review body, which will invite evidence from interested parties, will be able to report on these matters next year. The process of reform is a continuous one and we may wish to refer further matters to the review in due course.