MP supports Middlewich mother’s ongoing campaign following son’s accident
Fiona Bruce MP today welcomed Lorraine Neal to Parliament to offer her full support to the campaign being run by the mother from Middlewich following the horrific accident in which her son, 19 year old James Harrold, lost both his legs after being hit by a police car travelling at speed.
During the visit, Lorraine, her husband, Tony, and James watched Home Office Questions from the House of Commons Gallery and saw Fiona raise James’ accident with the Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP.
My young constituent, James Harrold, aged 19, from Middlewich, lost both his legs after being hit by a police car travelling at speed. In 2011-12, police vehicles were the cause of 18 deaths and many serious injuries such as those sustained by James. What are the Government doing to ensure that the number of such tragic incidents is reduced?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue, and certainly the case to which she referred is very distressing. While speed limits do not apply to vehicles used for emergency service purposes if observance of the limit is likely to hinder that purpose, I can assure her that emergency services drivers remain subject at all times to the law on careless and dangerous driving, of which exceeding the speed limit may be a component. The Department for Transport has recently consulted on the issue of extending the exemption to other emergency services, but it has also looked at amending road safety legislation so that emergency drivers will be required to complete high speed driving training before they are allowed to exceed the limit, and it proposes to base that training on the code drawn up by the emergency services.
Speaking from Parliament, Fiona said:
‘I was delighted to welcome Lorraine, Tony and James to Parliament today and to have the opportunity to raise such an important issue with the Home Secretary.
James has displayed amazing fortitude in the wake of his accident and I feel it is very important to support the campaign which Lorraine is leading to prevent such appalling accidents occurring again the future.
No family should ever have to experience such a horrific accident and I can assure James, Lorraine and Tony I will continue to pursue this matter within Government in conjunction with their campaign.’
