A backbench bill to improve road safety is to be blocked by the government, a leaked memo reveals.

Margaret Beckett told transport minister, Keith Hill, that he must develop a "robust handling" strategy and be prepared to be challenged over why the government was blocking road safety measures.

James Gray's bill would ban drivers from using mobile phones, force councils to draw up road gritting plans and allow pensioners to use their bus passes when travelling outside their local authority area.