Transport Act 1981

The Transport Act 1981 was a Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Amongst other items it introduced the compulsory wearing of seat belts for front seat passengers for a trial period of three year.^[1]

The major part of the act was for re-organising the British Transport Docks Board^[2] which led to its eventual privatisation.

Clauses of the Act

Reorganisation of British Transport Docks Board

Part II of the act renamed the British Transport Docks Board as Associated British Ports and made it a subsidiary a holding company limited by shares to be issued by the Secretary of State or their agents,^[3] thus making its privatisation possible.

Seatbelt legislation

It had been compulsory to fit front seat belts to cars built in Europe since 1965 and to all new cars sold in the UK since 1967. The Clunk Click” TV commercials, starring Jimmy Savile showing the dangers of being thrown through the windscreen in a collision was shown during the 1970s. Attempts were made to making the wearing of front seat belts compulsory into a Road Traffic Bill in 1973-4 but was unsuccessful. John Gilbert, the Minister of Transport proposed a 'Road Traffic (Seat Belts) Bill' in 1976 but it was also unsuccessful. Four further attempts at legislation were made by a number of MPs including William Rodgers and Neil Carmichael before Lord Nugent of Guildford, who was also the president of Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents was finally successful, initially by proposing a private members bills, and then by adding it as an amendment to this bill by the House of Lords.^[1] The House of Commons voted to accept the amendment on 28 July 1981.^[4]

Clauses

The act included clauses for:^[1]

• The compulsory wearing of seat-belts for front seat passengers for three years
• other clauses...

Legacy

Following the three year trial the compulsory wearing of seat belts was made permanent when both Houses of Parliament voted 'overwhelmingly' to retain the requirement. Legislation was subsequently introduced for the compulsory fitting of seat belts to the rear of cars (1987), for children to wear seat belts in the back (1989), and then adults(1991). Seat belts were required for minibuses and coaches carrying school children (1996) and for all coaches (2001).^[1]

Other clauses of the act

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Seat Belts: History". Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/advice/motorvehicles/seatbelt_history.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-26. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Revised Statute from The UK Statute Law Database: Transport Act 1981 www.opsi.gov.uk
3. ^ Transport Act 1981, Part II "Reconstitution of British Transport Docks Board"
4. ^ Hansard - 28 July 1981 - Compulsory wearing of seatbelts

External links

• Transport Act 1981 - Hansard

UK Legislation

• Official text of the Transport Act 1981 as amended and in force today within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database
• Official text of the Transport Act 1981 as originally enacted within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database