Road ban agreement between UK and Ireland comes into force

An agreement between British, Irish and Northern Ireland ministers in the UK will ensure that motorists will not escape punishment for offences abroad.

A new law, which came into force yesterday, has been brokered between the three governments to keep banned drivers off both UK and Irish roads.

Commenting on the launch of the new legislation, road safety minister Paul Clark hailed the move as a continuation of work to reduce risks to law-abiding citizens on Britain's roads.

He said: "We've cut the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 per cent since the mid-1990s - that's more than 19,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries in a year and means we now have some of the safest roads in the world.

"But we need to continue to work to make our roads even safer and if a UK driver commits a serious offence while in Ireland it is right that their ban should still apply when they return home."

Last month, the Institute of Advanced Motorists welcomed the UK's tough stance on dangerous driving, underlining that enforcement is still the key to improving safety.