A GROUP which campaigns over the harm alcohol can cause says the majority of the North-East public back a cut to the drink-drive limit.

Balance said it was time the rest of the UK followed Scotland and Europe in lowering the limit.

In 2014 Scotland introduced a limit of 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood and other European countries, including Malta, have followed suit.

England and Wales’ legal limit – 80mg of alcohol in 100ml – is the highest in Europe.

Balance said the 40 deaths and serious injuries in the North-East in 2014 caused by drink driving could be cut by ten per cent with a reduction.

It also said a representative survey it published last year showed that more than eight in ten people living in the North-East backed such a move.

Colin Shevills, director of Balance, said: “Lowering the drink-drive limit is a measure that not only saves lives and saves money, it will save a lot of heartache for families across our region. That’s why the move is so popular with people across the North-East.

“We know that the risk of road traffic injuries and collisions increases rapidly with alcohol consumption and other countries across Europe have recognised that lowering the limit works to deter people from drinking and driving and in doing so save lives.”

Katherine Brown, director at charity the Institute of Alcohol Studies, added: “We need to make drink driving a thing of the past, and to do this we need a lower drink drive limit.”