John Catt » Wed Dec 30, 2015 6:53 pm wrote
they seem to have changed it
The selection process/requirements for nomination of Council members was changed some years ago, requiring more nominees,
I was thinking about when they increased it, probably to 8 or 12, some time ago.
The CPS would I assume would require good evidence to bring a prosecution of passing too close.
Having distances prescribed in law could help decide if a case would succeed and guide the CPS to bring a case. A private members bill could highlight the need, not many succeed, but they raise the issue and some evidence can be put to support the proposal.
The seat belt law was proposed several times before being made law, so laws often take pressing over time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt_legislation In the UK, a requirement for anchorage points was introduced in 1965, followed by the requirement in 1968 to fit three-point belts in the front outboard positions on all new cars and all existing cars back to 1965. Successive UK Governments proposed, but failed to deliver, seat belt legislation throughout the 1970s.[7] In one such attempt in 1979 similar claims for potential lives and injuries saved were advanced. William Rodgers, then Secretary of State for Transport in the Callaghan Labour Government (1976–1979), stated: "On the best available evidence of accidents in this country - evidence which has not been seriously contested - compulsion could save up to 1000 lives and 10,000 injuries a year."[8]
Psamathe » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:14 pm wrote
(My bold and underline) I think that is the problem. Were resources to be used to campaign for such a new law and for such a law to be introduced then it would be nothing beyond another ignored bit of paper. Better to campaign for enforcement of existing laws before campaigning for introduction of more laws (that will also be ignored).
A court may decide to accept video evidence of passing too close and if evidence is provided by a cyclist, or via a member of the public, would a private prosecution case succeed? trying to answer - may depend
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/ju ... dence.htmlIn order to use video/tape recordings as evidence, the prosecution must prove that the tape or video recording is authentic or genuine. The prosecution must explain how and why the recording was made and who had control of the recording afterwards.