More Highway Code

[lnr]

Following on from this. I've learned from the Cambridge Cycling Campaign, who have been liaising with local MP David Howarth, that an Early Day Motion has been put before the house, opposing the acceptance of the new version of the Highway Code. The objection by MPs to an order before parliament is called a "Prayer for Annulment" and once the EDM prayer is published, there are 20 days from today to get lots of MPs to sign it. It's not clear how many MPs are needed.

The motion is now public: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=33216&SESSION=885 so I guess now is the time to encourage your MP to sign up! And do feel free to point other people at this post.

Update: Hmm, I've just been relaying what's been said by the CCC, but it seems from comments that this may be not as useful as it sounds. I'll be passing this back to them for comment.

Update 2: A committee member (who prefers not to be named) says:

My understanding from David Howarth when I spoke to him on Monday is that an EDM prayer (as distinct from a normal EDM) with "lots" of signatories results in a debate being held in Committee, which may then result in a full debate in the HoC.

As far as I can see, it's the only option open to anyone to stop this. That's the procedure there is so we'd better make best use of it. Getting lots of MPs to be aware of the problem is worth trying. It could lead to media interest etc., who knows.

Comments

[gailsedotes.livejournal.com]

not trying to wind you up! i think the new bits in the highwaycode are a wind up! how can they go about making rediculas suggestions like those if they wont even enforce the basic rules - like obeying traffic lights, roundabouts, zebracrossings? j rides to school everyday and has been taken off her bike on gilbert road 3 times - even clipped her bike and she went head first into van (helmets are not entirely useless)! i pick up b from his school and it is chaos when the bikes come out. i take great care around cyclists but they dont half make it hard. and that's not a wind up - i think the police should be fining more cyclists for basic voliations like failing to signal. i once had a cyclist go round the roundabout the wrong way - i slammed on the breaks and near missed him and at the lights he opened the passenger car door and had a go at me - OVER the car seat holding J as a toddler!

[damerell.livejournal.com]

It's a shame it wasn't a windup.

"I prefer rogues to imbeciles, because they sometimes give it a rest."

What makes the roads dangerous? Cretins in cars who think it's legal to run people over would be top of my list.