Road safety minister Dr Stephen Ladyman has been accused of misleading Parliament after vetoing moves to force heavy goods lorries to display retro-reflective markings in order to save lives.
He told MPs that if the Government acted, it would bring it into conflict with Brussels. Instead, he said, the UK had to wait for Europe-wide laws, not expected until 2011.
But Tory shadow transport minister, Owen Paterson, and Labour MP, Dr Brian Iddon, this week protested after discovering that Italy introduced similar laws in 2003, and the European Commission had taken no action. ‘It is utter nonsense,’ Paterson told Surveyor. ‘The minister said it was illegal.’ MPs will now press Ladyman to think again.
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