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Road Safety Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support the amendment. In previous discussions on the matter, the Minister took the view that councils should decide on it. I understand that he shares the objective. I do not want to traduce him; that is the last thing that I want to do, because he is conspicuously fair himself, but the fact of the matter is that if you allow such a laissez-faire approach, most of it will not get done at all. Just one or two councils, such as the efficient ones that we have in the east of England, will do something about it, but the majority of them will not. The fact is that villages are extremely vulnerable areas with indifferent lighting, appalling pavements and other traffic hazards; they are full of children, infirm people, animals and the elderly. That latter fact alone must surely commend itself to this House, above anything else. I ask noble Lords to support the amendment.