THE family of a bride-to-be killed by a driver who was virtually blind have welcomed the use of a new law to stop motorists with dangerously poor eyesight from getting behind the wheel.

But the family of Natalie Wade, from Rochford, are still campaigning for change. Natalie’s relatives, along with the family of Cassie McCord, from Colchester, have both been battling to bring about reforms in the wake of their deaths so police can seize driving licenses of motorists with poor eyesight and last month, police in Southend were the first to use “Cassie’s Law”.

The new legislation has fast-tracked the procedure for cops to be able to take licenses away from drivers with bad eyesight. It comes after a campaign fought in the name of Cassie, 16, which was supported by the Echo’s sister papers, the Colchester Gazette and Essex County Standard, who was killed by a driver who refused to give up his licence after failing an eye test.

Her aunt, the Rev Brenda Gutberlet, from Canvey, is the family’s spokeswoman and says they are “pleased” police now have increased powers to take action

She said: “We are thrilled this is taking effect. “Natalie and Cassie were both killed by people who could not see, it can’t be right we have people driving around on our roads that shouldn’t be there.”

Natalie, 28, was out shopping for her wedding dress with her mother when John Thorpe, 78, drove through a red light and ploughed into her in his Toyota Land Cruiser while she was on a pedestrian crossing.

Natalie, of Hedingham Place, Rochford, died in hospital five days later, on Valentine’s Day 2006.

It transpired Mr Thorpe, from Hullbridge, was practically blind and had been warned not to drive. Her family are now looking to resolve the “anomaly” that optometrists are not legally enabled to report someone who has failed to reach the DVLA eyesight standard with Mrs Harris, who is currently working with the Road Safety Authority’s Fit to Drive Campaign and is considering a range of options, including:

- Writing a presentation bill to put before the House of Commons in the new Parliamentary year.

- Encouraging insurers to incentivise people to take regular eye tests by offering lower car insurance premiums to drivers who can prove they have good optical vision.

- Potentially arranging an awareness event in Parliament about the dangers of driving without good optical health, encouraging MPs to take the message back to their constituents.

Mrs Harris said: “I am very pleased the police are now able to revoke licenses in a couple of hours rather than days. This simple step will save lives on our roads, but more still needs to be done.

“Motorists who are medically unfit to drive for whatever reason should not be allowed on the roads in the first place."