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The 2003 Queen's Speech

 

(Readers who are not conversant with British politics should know that the Queen has no say whatsoever in the contents of her annual speech. It is written for her by the Government.)

 

(27 November, 2003)

 

The Queen's Speech, which spells out British legislative plans for the 2003/4 Parliamentary session, has failed to include an expected bill on road safety.  While there will be a Traffic Management bill (to streamline roadworks and transfer some traffic policing activities to the Highways Agency) and a draft School Transport bill (which would introduce pilot school bus schemes), it remains unclear whether these measures will impact road safety.

 

Other long-awaited measures, such as evidential breath testing, stricter penalties for speeding motorists and statutory registration of fleet, HGV and bus and coach driver trainers (outlined in the Government's Road Safety plan 'Tomorrow's Roads - Safer for Eveyone'), will not now be introduced before the next Parliamentary session.  A bill introducing the offence of corporate manslaughter - first promised by then-Home Secretary Jack Straw in 1997 - has also been delayed.

 

Commenting on the proposals contained in the Queen's Speech today, Robert Gifford, PACTS Executive Director, said "This Queen's Speech is a huge disappointment for anyone concerned with transport safety. Three years into the target period for road casualty reduction, the government has missed a golden opportunity to resolve outstanding issues that could improve road safety such as

  • Evidential breath testing

  • Increased penalties for speeding motorists and

  • Statutory registration of fleet, HGV and bus and coach driver trainers.

"These were not controversial measures but further incremental steps towards our goal of achieving and maintaining our position of having the safest roads in Europe.

 

"The proposed Bill on Traffic Management will raise serious questions about the roles and responsibilities of police and Highways Agency personnel in the aftermath of crashes. It will achieve little for road safety. Fiddling at the margins is no help to the bereaved and injured on our roads."

 

A PACTS Parliamentary Briefing on the Queen's Speech is on the PACTS website

 

 

Source:  U.K. 'Parliamentary Advisory Council For Transport Safety' (PACTS)