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Road Safety Bill [Lords]

Those of us who have been involved in the debate on these measures in Committee and subsequently are pleased to note that the Minister has become more good-natured as the debate has progressed. In fact, I suspect that if our consideration of the Bill could have stretched over two years, we might have persuaded him to have accepted more amendments. I think that the whole House will welcome his comment that he had no intention of driving up fine income in these provisions. But what ring-fencing will exist as a result of the Government amendment? Will it be the same as in the Lords’ original amendment, namely"““to fund local transport facilities or related environmental improvements””?" Some of us would have concerns if the definition of ““related environmental improvements”” could include road closures. We hope that that is not the primary purpose of the amendment.