Ministers back off from lowering drink limit

Britain is set to become the only European country allowing motorists to drink alcohol and still be able to drive legally, after a change of heart by ministers.

They had planned to lower the drink-drive limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood but now indicate that this will not happen.

Safety groups say the existing limit encourages people to "chance it" and have a drink or two before driving but a 50mg limit would make drivers far more careful, as they would risk prosecution after just one drink.

In mainland Europe, the limit is either 50mg or 20mg. The Republic of Ireland is to reduce the limit to 50mg next year.

The Association of Chief Police Officers, British Medical Association and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have called for a 50mg limit.

Research by University College London predicted that lowering the limit for all drivers to 50mg would prevent 65 deaths and 230 injuries a year in Britain. It would also save the economy £119 million a year by reducing medical costs and lost working time.

Last year Stephen Ladyman, then road safety minister, said the Government was in favour of moving to a 50mg limit and would include the proposal in a public consultation. But his successor, Jim Fitzpatrick, said a consultation document, to be published within weeks, will not propose a lower limit.

He said: "We are not convinced (it) is the right answer. Drivers who are between 50mg and 80mg are not the ones we are most worried about. It's the ones above 100 mg."

Mr Fitzpatrick said the consultation would focus on better enforcement of the existing limit. Police could gain new powers to stop and test drivers at random.