Road safety charity Brake and Direct Line Insurance have presented ‘Parliamentarian of the Year’ awards to MPs Meg Munn, for her national road safety achievements, and Richard Spring, for championing road safety in his constituency.

Munn, MP for Sheffield Heeley, mounted a campaign in 2009 for action to be taken to help identify commercial drivers who have undiagnosed sleep apnoea, an easily treatable condition.

She worked to develop an action plan, securing a commitment from Government to change the medical examination form that commercial drivers must complete with their doctors before receiving their licence, to ensure that it included tests for the symptoms of sleep apnoea.

Munn plans to continue her campaign within the business sector, and is in discussion to trial a screening and treatment programme with a major company in 2010.

Spring, MP for Suffolk West, has been campaigning for improvements on the A11 for the past 10 years. He delivered a petition of 15,000 signatures to the transport secretary and met with him to discuss the urgency of the issue.

His determination and continued pressure have secured funding and a timetable for the dualling of the road at long last. His constituents will now see work start from 2010.

The awards were presented at Brake’s annual reception at the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, January 19.