Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 148:"After Clause 39, insert the following new clause—"    ““POWER TO REQUIRE INFORMATION RELATING TO ROAD SAFETY MANAGEMENT (1)   The appropriate national authority may direct a local traffic authority to provide it, within a specified period, with specified information connected with any aspect of the performance of their duties under sections (Duty to reduce road danger) and (Arrangements for road safety management). (2)   The information that may be specified in such a direction— (a)   must be information which the authority have in their possession or can reasonably be expected to acquire; and (b)   includes, in particular, information relating to— (i)   the management of road safety in relation to a local traffic authority’s road network; or (ii)   the use of their road network, or the risks imposed or faced by different kinds of traffic. (3)   A direction under this section may be given to two or more local traffic authorities or to local traffic authorities of a description specified in the direction. (4)   A direction under this section given to a London authority must be copied to the Mayor. The noble Lord said: In speaking to Amendment No. 148, I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 149 to 151. The amendments are self-explanatory, so I do not need to waste too much of the Committee’s time on them. They seek a holistic, joined-up approach to road safety policies and management which is equally applicable to all types of road users. As we know, that includes pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, car and lorry drivers and anyone else we can think of. Many of these steps are taken already, but I know that all the road safety experts believe that the idea of a totally joined-up approach to road safety is very important. I hope that the Government can either aspire to one quite soon or, even better, tell me that it exists already. I beg to move.