Written question asked by Iain Wright (Labour) on Friday, 2 September 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 6 September 2011. It was answered by Mike Penning (Conservative) on Monday, 12 September 2011 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Driving: Offences

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to make it a driving offence for a motorist to interrupt the line of vehicles included in a funeral cortege; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: We have no current plans for a new specific driving offence related to the interruption of a line of vehicles within a funeral cortege.Existing offences, for example related to careless and inconsiderate driving, are relevant to so-called 'road rage' and other aggressive driving in the vicinity of funeral corteges. An additional specific offence would be unlikely to assist penalising the worst examples of poor driving behaviour.We are progressing plans to enable the police to enforce against careless and inconsiderate driving more efficiently.

Secondary information