MPs: Government road proposals don't go far enough

2:44pm Wednesday 16th July 2008

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THE roads minister was urged not to make ‘big mistake’ over young drivers' safety as the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign hit parliament today.

Jim Fitzpatrick faced intense questioning in a 90-minute debate prompted by our campaign at Westminster this morning.

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice, who won the right to stage the special debate, highlighted several of our front pages and told Mr Fitzpatrick that the Government’s Learning To Drive consultation does not go far enough.

He was backed at the special adjournment debate in Westminster Hall by four members of the influential Transport Select Committee and seven other MPs, including Darwen and Rossendale’s Janet Anderson.

As part of the Wasted Lives campaign to stop the carnage of young drivers on our road, the Telegraph has called for the introduction of graduated licences, as well as a raft of measures for newly qualified motorists including limited driving in the evenings, limits to carrying young passengers and limits to driving powerful vehicles.

But the Government consultation is instead proposing extra education before people get their licence rather than such post-test measures, going against the recommendations of the Transport Select Committee.