Restricted Byways (Application and Consequential Amendment of Provisions) Regulations 2006

My Lords, I am not a little offended by that, but the noble Baroness’s noble friend from Lancashire may not be happy if I greet him as an old crow. I shall therefore be careful. These regulations contain an amendment to the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which ensures that no statutory provision prohibiting or restricting the use of byways will affect invalid carriages. I hope that that reassures the noble Baroness, Lady Byford. If she has any further concerns, I have no doubt that they will occur again on Monday. The noble Baroness, Lady Miller, referred to the time taken. The redesignation of roads used as public paths to restricted byways has been an ambitious task and has involved scrutiny of more than 40,000 references to primary and secondary legislation, and detailed consideration of around 100 pieces of legislation, to ensure that this new category will operate as intended. The new rights of way legislation in the NERC Bill builds on the category of restricted byways by enabling rights acquired by non-mechanically propelled vehicles to be recorded as restricted byways rather than byways open to all traffic. Before commencing the restricted byways provision, we needed to ensure that the final terms of the new provisions were compatible. We are now confident that that is the case. I thank both noble Baronesses for their support on all three sets of regulations tonight. I commend the regulations. On Question, Motion agreed to.