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Road Safety Bill [HL]

That is the situation. Moving on to Amendment No. 78, the Government’s road safety strategy recognises the problems in rural areas where inappropriate speed is a contributory factor to many accidents and injuries. We acknowledge in particular that rural settlements deserve the same protection from vehicle speeds as those experienced in urban areas, a point well made during the debate. It is therefore already government policy for villages to be subject to a 30 mph speed limit wherever that is deemed to be appropriate. Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/04 provides guidance to traffic authorities on how this can be achieved. However, it is unlikely that such a limit will be appropriate for all villages—for example, those located on roads with a strategic or through-traffic function. That is why we favour the current regime, which provides traffic authorities with the flexibility to be able to set an appropriate speed limit through villages on their roads, having given full and proper consideration to what is the right limit based on all needs and local requirements. In our view, as well as improving safety, this also increases respect for, and compliance with, speed limits. I hope, in view of the fact that it is already government policy for villages to be subject to a 30   mph speed limit where appropriate, and of the fact that traffic authorities already have the necessary powers to set an appropriate speed limit through villages, that noble Lords will withdraw this amendment.