James Gray, Con, North Wiltshire

Would require local authorities to take measures to safeguard motorists and pedestrians from the effects of snow and ice; to require local authorities to assess the appropriateness of speed limits; to simplify the procedure for making speed limits; to ban the use of hand-held telephones by drivers of motor vehicles; to amend the law with respect to the wearing of seat belts; and to extend the area within which mandatory travel concessions outside Greater London apply.

Writing for the House Magazine, James Gray says: "Before deciding to introduce the Road Transport Bill, I asked the people of North Wiltshire to tell me what issue they really wanted raised in public debate. Many brilliant ideas flooded into my office. People spoke to me in the street, dozens of others wrote and e-mailed me with suggestions of worthy causes we could address.In the end, transport won out because the people in my constituency, like those in every part of the United Kingdom, are suffering from John Prescott's apology for a transport policy that is leading to Standstill Britain and is marked by an apparent hatred of the motorist. In a rural area like North Wiltshire, car use is simply not an indulgent luxury. It is an essential part of life and my bill aims to help the motorist and the pedestrian alike. It seeks to make road travel safer and more reliable for both the motorist and the user of public transport. It will require local authorities to make proper provision for gritting roads in ice and snow. Then it will require them to carry out a proper assessment of how appropriate the speed limits on particular roads are in their area. Single track rural roads and village streets are today some of the country's most dangerous places for drivers and pedestrians alike. This bill will simplify the procedure for applying, changing or moving the boundaries of particular speed limits.Perhaps more controversially, my bill will then ban the use of handheld mobile phones while driving. We all do it. We all know how dangerous it is. My bill will outlaw it.But even in an area like North Wiltshire, not everyone owns a car. I am specially concerned about a curious anomaly in the government's Transport Act 2000 which introduced mandatory concessionary bus passes for pensioners and disabled people. Generally, they can only be used in the person's own local authority area. But people need to go to local towns and cities too. Some authorities have negotiated arrangements whereby passes can be used in adjacent zones. This should be the norm. My bill aims to enable concessionary travel between all neighbouring areas.An effective transport policy is central to the quality of life in the UK in 2001. I hope that these straightforward common-sense policies will make some little contribution to improving the ease and safety of motoring. It has been a privilege to be able to introduce the bill, but it will be an even greater pleasure if it becomes law and addresses the real concerns of so many people in my North Wiltshire constituency."

House of Commons

First reading (formal introduction): January 17 2001

Second reading: February 9 2001. The division was declared inquorate as less than 40 MPs took part.

This bill has been dropped.