§ 56. Sir W. BRASSasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the high percentage of fatal accidents due to pedal bicycles on the roads and the fact that his Department has no knowledge of the approximate number of bicyclists using the roads annually, he will consider introducing legislation to make it compulsory for all bicycles used to be registered each year in the future, in order that the statistics of accidents published by his Department may give a clearer picture of the causes of road accidents?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of TRANSPORT (Lieut.-Colonel Headlam)The fatal accidents in which riders of pedal bicycles were involved in 1933 are fully analysed in the recent returns. I do not think that my hon. and gallant Friend's proposal to impose upon several millions of cyclists the necessity of an annual registration of their machines would afford any material assistance in the ascertainment of the causes of road accidents, and I do not, therefore, contemplate the legislation for which he asks.
§ Sir W. BRASSIs my hon. and gallant Friend aware that more than 1,000 people were killed last year as the result of accidents involving bicycles, and is it not a bad thing for his Department not to 1384 know whether there are 1,000,000 bicycles on the road or 10,000,000?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMWe do know approximately the number of bicycles, but we do not think that the registration of bicycles would confer security on their riders.
§ Sir W. BRASSI asked a question the other day, and I would like to know why I was not given a figure; his Department then said that they did not know the number of bicycles on the road?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMWe do not know the actual number, but we do know, more or less, what is unofficially estimated to be the number.
§ Sir W. BRASSI asked for the approximate number.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe approximate number is said to be something like 10,000,000.