Ministers are encountering resistance from pub owners regarding their proposal to reduce the drink-drive limit in order to enhance road safety.
As part of a significant road safety initiative, England and Wales may decrease the drink-drive limit from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms, aligning with Scotland’s limit set in 2014. Currently, England and Wales have the highest limit in Europe, on par with Malta.
Lowering the limit could result in even a single pint putting some individuals over the legal threshold. Various factors such as age, weight, and gender play a role in determining how much alcohol a person can consume before reaching the limit.
Concerns have been raised by representatives of rural pubs that the industry may suffer due to these plans. However, government officials have defended the proposal, citing the tragic loss of lives caused by drink-driving incidents. They emphasized that Scotland’s experience with a lower drink-drive limit did not negatively impact the pub industry.
Transport minister Ms Greenwood emphasized on Sky News the importance of not drinking before driving and the need to leave the car at home if consuming alcohol. She highlighted the significant number of fatalities resulting from drink-driving incidents in recent years.
Furthermore, Ms Greenwood mentioned in an interview with Times Radio that Scotland’s reduction of the drink-drive limit in 2014 did not substantially affect the pub trade, as indicated by studies conducted by the University of Stirling and the University of Bath, which were taken into consideration when formulating the current proposals.
In 2024, 1,633 people lost their lives, and almost 28,000 sustained serious injuries in traffic accidents on Britain’s roads. Despite a decrease in road fatalities between 2000 and 2010, the number of people killed in drink-driving incidents has been on the rise over the past decade, reaching a 13-year peak in 2022.
Critics of the plan, including Reform leader Nigel Farage, have expressed concerns about its potential negative impact on country pubs across Britain. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) stressed that the sector promotes responsible drinking and supports drink-drive campaigns, leading to a decline in alcohol-related driving accidents according to recent government data.
While acknowledging the importance of road safety, the BBPA cautioned that additional policy measures impacting trade could pose challenges for licensees, particularly those in rural areas. The proposed road safety strategy also includes the installation of “alcolocks” on vehicles of convicted drink-drivers and new powers to suspend driving licenses for individuals suspected of drink or drug-driving offenses.
An alcohol interlock or ‘alcolock’ is a breathalyser device that can prevent a driver from operating a vehicle if they have exceeded a specific alcohol limit.
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