Clause 5 - Giving of fixed penalty notices by vehicle examiners
Road Safety Bill [Lords]
7:30 pm
Greg Knight (East Yorkshire, Conservative)
I am disappointed by the Minister’s reply. He downplays the importance of the presence of a police officer, which is required at present. On every occasion when I have witnessed vehicles being pulled over for examination, it is a police officer who has flagged down the vehicle and directed it into the inspection area. I wonder whether as many drivers will be willing to pull over for some character in overalls who may or may not have an authority card in his pocket. The Minister is misjudging the importance of a police officer in the context of vehicle examinations.
The Minister has done little to reassure me that the vehicle examiners will be anything other than swinishly ignorant of the niceties of dealing with someone who is about to be charged with an offence. At present, it is the police officer who would interface with the driver. Nevertheless, I would like to reflect on what the Minister said and perhaps use the gap between this Committee and Report to seek to bring further evidence to his attention, as I still believe that the amendment has merit. I would like to return to the matter on Report, so I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.