---

Road Safety Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am sorry to have missed the opening remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen; it was entirely because of the contretemps over Amendment No. 58A. I told my noble friend Lord Listowel yesterday that unfortunately I would not be able to support his amendment, though I pay tribute to his arguments today. As might be expected, I oppose it mainly on libertarian grounds, but on practical rather than on purist libertarian grounds. People of my generation cycled every bit as much when we were 11, 12 or 13 as children of that age group do today—probably more so, since there were fewer forms of alternative transport available. Neither I nor any of my great many friends and acquaintances ever suffered anything worse than a grazed knee. If children were falling onto their heads from bicycles in their hundreds every day of the week, I might think rather differently. But that does not appear to be the case, despite the moving example produced by my noble friend. One should not erode—