Government must go extra mile towards safer roads, says CTC

The all-party select committee of MPs rejected the government’s proposal to reduce the penalty for certain speeding offences:

“Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists are being deterred by the priority given, in fact if not in theory, to motorised traffic," said the committee’s report.

The report recommends the government should give more publicity to ‘speeding is a crime’ meeage, and welcomed proposals that courts be given the power to impose speed-awareness courses.

But despite calling for new rules to allow more speed cameras, and for higher priority to be placed on road policing, the committee made few proposals for tougher legislation to improve road conditions.

CTC’s campaigns and policy manager, Roger Geffen, said: “At a time when we are all being encouraged to be more active, it’s self-defeating for the government to refuse to legislate in favour of cyclists and pedestrians.

"CTC believes that a law to make it easier for non-motorised road users to claim damages from drivers who injure them, and a 20mph default speed limit in most residential areas, would benefit everyone by creating a more level playing field between different road users.”