'We need a crackdown on drivers who ignore drink-drive laws, whatever the limit,' says Lancashire MP
Drivers who already flout drink and drug-driving laws will continue to do so regardless of any change to the legal alcohol limit, a Lancashire MP has warned.
Andrew Snowden, the Conservative MP for Fylde and former Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner, said proposed Government plans to lower the drink-drive limit in England and Wales risk distracting from the real danger on the roads.
Speaking during a Commons debate on road safety, Mr Snowden said: “I do fear that reducing the alcohol limit for England and Wales is potentially a red herring policy that will distract from where the real harm and damage comes from, which is focusing in on those who ignore the drink-drive limit no matter what it is.”
Proposals to lower the limit form part of the Government’s new road safety strategy, which aims to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65 per cent by 2035.
Setting out the plans, transport minister Lilian Greenwood told drivers who intend to drink alcohol to “leave your car at home”.
Mr Snowden said he welcomed a stronger focus on tackling drug-driving, which he described as a growing problem.
“We’re going to see police forces this year, during Christmas operations, reporting more drug than drink detections for the first time,” he said.
“That’s good that it’s being detected, but it’s just scratching the surface of the problem.
“We really need to focus in on those who take drugs and then drive cars.”
Ms Greenwood told MPs the Government was reviewing the evidence as it develops more detailed proposals, adding that the UK is “an outlier” internationally when it comes to drink-drive limits.
The current limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared with 22 micrograms in Scotland.
Lowering the limit south of the border would bring it into line with Scotland and much of Europe, the minister said.
She added: “It isn’t about curtailing people’s freedom to drive, it is about saving lives.”
As part of the strategy, ministers are also consulting on introducing even lower limits for novice drivers, suspending licences for motorists suspected of drink or drug-driving until they appear in court, and reviewing penalties and mandatory training.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden cautioned that evidence from Scotland did not clearly show improved road safety outcomes following the lower limit, and raised concerns about the impact on the hospitality sector.
Ms Greenwood responded that the Government does not want to discourage people from enjoying pubs and restaurants, but said the message remained clear: “If you’re going to go out and have a drink, leave your car at home.”
The strategy also includes proposals to consult on mandatory eyesight tests for drivers over the age of 70, alongside longer-term ambitions to reduce road deaths and serious injuries as close to zero as possible.