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Road Safety Bill [HL]

Of course it is a matter for local authorities to make a judgment on the appropriate height. But the reality is that they are not making any judgment: the result is totally haphazard. There are huge variations in height and width in the same stretch of road. The local authority has not taken into account the danger arising from its failure to maintain the lighting on islands. I find the Minister’s reply disappointing. In the amendment I have gone out of my way to minimise the cost so far as possible except in circumstances where an island has been hit and the warning lights have been knocked off because it was in a dangerous position. I may wish to return to the issue on Report. The Minister has not replied—it is outside the amendment—to the question of outlining the edges of traffic islands; otherwise in many cases, in particular in bad weather, they are completely invisible.