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Road Safety Bill [Lords]

That is a bizarre way of looking at cost. To a haulier, costs arise when their trucks are not running on the roads. If trucks are not run into, they carry on running, and the haulier does not have to bear the cost of having to repair them, will not have them off the road, and will not lose business. The Minister’s way of looking at the issue is completely inverted—[Interruption.] Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis have already started to use retro-reflective tape voluntarily, because they know that it is worth while to do so. It is extraordinary that this should happen in what is supposed to be a sovereign Parliament. Members of all parties agree that this very simple and cheap measure would save lives. The hon. Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon)—it is a pity that he is not here—made a very good comment in Committee:"““I do not like breaking the law, although I am tempted to break certain European laws because they are barmy. It is a personal opinion, but I think it is barmy that we have to wait until 2011 to save lives.””—[Official Report, Standing Committee A, 23 March 2006; c. 149-150.]"