Letter to Lord Whitty

Wednesday 12th January 2000

Combating Drink-Driving - Next Steps A Consultation Document

Since the end of the consultation period, 20 months have elapsed during which time the Government has been able to formulate policy with regard to life saving and injury preventing road safety measures, particularly in relation to a lower legal limit and police powers to enforce the law.

We are greatly concerned that so far no measures have been announced, let alone implemented, and meanwhile casualties from drink driving continue at an unacceptably high level. We are puzzled to know why a Government which has acted decisively in regard to rail safety delays tackling a problem which is numerically much greater, especially as the Consultation Document confirms that the Government was already minded to lower the legal alcohol limit two years ago.

ACPO has estimated that nine deaths a week, equivalent to one Paddington rail disaster each month, still occur on our roads due to drinking and driving. Road ministers do not need the courage of Barbara Castle to implement a measure which would reduce these deaths. All the indications are that the majority of the public fully support the needed measures, including a lowering of the legal limit.

There have been no significant changes since the Government first stated its intention of lowering the limit. The scientific case for this measure retains its validity and, significantly, the police at the front line of preventing drink driving have maintained their position.

You have stated that you need to tackle the 'hard core'. As we pointed out in our submission, there is good scientific evidence to show that reducing the limit affects drivers at higher as well as lower blood alcohol levels. Your Consultation Document estimates a saving of 50 lives in the 50 - 80 mg range. There is no reason to doubt that similar numbers may be saved amongst those above 80 mgs, if the results in other jurisdictions when the law was changed were to be replicated in the UK.

The Consultation Document mentions that there should be a speeding up of cases coming before the courts. The recent implementation by magistrates of the Neary proposals has achieved this. There remains, however, the important issue of a bail condition regarding the removal of a licence where there is delay in reaching a verdict and an interim disqualification cannot be given. A change in the Bail Act to provide for this would counter those who simply wish to delay the process of law.

However the vital question remains. If the Government is not prepared to introduce a lower limit, what effective alternative weapons do you have in your armoury which have not already been tried, to tackle the so called "hard core"?

Derek Rutherford