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Road Safety Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am lost for words—almost. I have absolutely no idea what any of the statistics just reeled out by the Minister mean. If any noble Lord can make sense of them, they are clearly impressive individuals. There was an awful lot about light goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and buses, but I am not sure whether private cars came into it. However, perhaps I should set that to one side. I am almost sure that I heard the Minister say that he could not see what benefit would arise from a reduction in the speed limit on these roads, yet since 1999 the whole of the Government’s road safety strategy has been predicated on the basis that if you slow vehicles down, you will reduce the accident rate. So I find the argument somewhat difficult to understand. The fact is that on these roads what is important is not whether there is a white line down the middle but whether the road is wide enough to accommodate vehicles travelling in both directions. My amendment seeks to slow down to 40 mph the traffic on those roads that are not wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other on their own side of the carriageway. The legal speed limit should be 40 mph. I am not remotely reassured by anything the Minister said in his response. Indeed, I am almost more concerned than I was before because he did not address the fact that the fatal accident rate on rural roads is significantly higher than that for anywhere else and that it continues to rise. I have heard nothing to assure me that the Government are addressing the issue or are taking a serious look at the problem. That degree of complacency is quite alarming. Despite the fact that we have been here for several hours, I feel that I must test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 17) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 78; Not-Contents, 146 Clause 47 [Disclosure to foreign authorities of licensing and registration information]: [Amendments Nos. 18 and 19 not moved.] Clause 48 [Trunk road picnic areas]: