§ Judy MallaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2003,Official Report, column 194W, on transplant vehicles, whether he has reached conclusions on whether an amendment to legislation is necessary to allow transplant vehicles to be covered by the speed limit exemption for ambulances. [134267]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe current speed limit exemption legislation grants an exemption for vehicles used for ambulance purposes, but it does not provide a definition of ambulance purposes. It is therefore for the courts to decide whether, in any particular case, a vehicle used for carrying human tissue is being used for an ambulance purpose.
The Government acknowledge that there may be a requirement to amend speed limit exemption legislation in order to clarify the status of such vehicles. However any exemption to speed limits needs to be considered with the utmost ca re in order to safeguard the interests of all road users. W e are currently considering the wider impacts of such an amendment before reaching a conclusion on whether any amendment would be both necessary and justified.
Primary legislation would be required in order to effect such a change, should we conclude an amendment is necessary.