Fears over online safety bill

“If it’s not working for them it could affect their trade. So six months is too long and could be too late.”

He suggested the creation of a “contact board” for businesses, town centre users and councillors such as himself to be able to share comments with the council “so it stands a better chance of making the right decision or defending the decision it does make”.

The council’s strategic director for environment, Colin Parr, said any changes made to the highway by the council are “carefully planned and advertised” prior to any work starting.

He said: “The changes in Huddersfield town centre have been made to make it easier for businesses to open and operate in a Covid-safe way.

“There was extensive engagement with businesses prior to the orders being put in place.

“Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) enable work to begin before a public consultation with changes reviewed during the first six months. This bedding-in period is referred to as experimental to enable the public as well as businesses to feed back on the changes at any point during this timeframe.

Mr Parr said traders, shoppers and other visitors to the town centre are encouraged to share their thoughts on proposed changes by emailing highways.tro@kirklees.gov.uk

THE Government’s proposed Online Safety Bill is being “undermined” by “exemptions and caveats” which give some tech companies a way to avoid responsibility, a new report has warned.

The study by online safety group the

5Rights Foundation said the Government’s current plans did not place children’s rights front and centre but rather attempted to “minimise the regulatory burden on tech companies”.

The Online Safety Bill is due before Parliament this year and is expected to set out a duty of care to which tech companies must adhere, with large financial penalties for those found to be in breach.

The Government has previously said the legislation would help to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.