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Road Safety Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support strongly the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Swinfen. Her Majesty’s Government are encouraging children to cycle to school, providing funding for this and guidance to schools. That is very welcome, and will be of benefit to many children in terms of exercise. As an indirect consequence, however, more children will inevitably be exposed to the risk of having an accident on their bicycle. I think I am correct in saying that the Minister does not dispute the efficacy of cycle helmets in protecting children from brain and facial injuries, so I recognise her serious concern about the enforcement of this measure. But there is a careful balance to be made here between that concern and the certainty that, if this legislation is not enacted, more children will experience severe head and facial injuries and their lives will be blighted, or they may lose their lives. Their families will have to care for a child who has been damaged in this way, perhaps to the end of their days. That might have been avoided, and the risk significantly decreased, if they had been wearing a helmet. So the Government are encouraging children to get on their bikes, and I applaud that, but in that case they have a duty to minimise the risks these children experience in following the Government’s wishes. I hope therefore that the Minister can accept this amendment.