Road Safety Bill [HL]

As the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, indicated, this group of amendments on level crossings will do three things. It would increase the scope of punishments available to the courts to deal with those who disregard traffic lights; it would give the Secretary of State power to require highway authorities to act to reduce risk at level crossings; and it would ensure that Network Rail is consulted over planning applications which might lead to an increase in traffic over level crossings. This area of law is surely ripe for amendment, and many of the level crossings themselves go back to the early days of the railways. Clearly these amendments, if adopted, will save lives. However, if the Minister is unable to accept them, perhaps he can give us the reassurance that before long the Government will introduce specific legislation on level crossings.