Bull Bars (Hansard, 19 December 1996)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen)
My Lords, the European Commission has now prepared a 1614 draft amendment to the External Projections Directive which would prevent the fitting of aggressive bull bars. Although some member states have recently opposed the proposal, we still strongly support this effort to control the use of bull bars.

§ The Earl of Kinnoull
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that cautious report. Is he aware that all national organisations in this country concerned with road safety fully support the Government's efforts to achieve a European consensus and hope that those efforts will be redoubled in 1997? Does he agree that the TRL report on bull bar accidents, which has just been published, covered only a small sample of evidence in 1994? In its own words, it: left a large degree of uncertainty of the true picture". Does he further agree that this road safety issue deserves more thorough research, including the co-operation of the Metropolitan Police, whose area covers the largest number of bull bar vehicles in the country and whose absence from the TRL report and study was disappointing?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, I certainly welcome the support that my noble friend has given to the Government's policy on this issue. Clearly, a European solution is preferable and that is indeed our preferred approach. We welcome the report produced by the TRL. It is a very valuable piece of work. It is wide-ranging and has taken into account a considerable amount of information. It has advanced the level of knowledge about the effect that those devices can have on the national fatality statistics. With regard to participation, a great many police forces participated, including those representing urban areas. I understand that, although the Metropolitan Police did not participate in the surveys, they did provide TRL with details of some bull bar accidents.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I fully support the noble Earl in having tabled this Question and in his remarks. Can I press the Minister to ensure that bull bars, which injure and kill people, should be removed as swiftly as possible? Can he assure us that this House will not have to wait until perhaps 50 or 60 human beings have been badly injured or destroyed before they act? The time for action and for removal of bull bars has now arrived.

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, I also welcome the support that the noble Lord gave to our initiatives on this important road safety issue. The TRL study has shown that the level of fatalities is considerably lower than was originally thought. Nonetheless, deaths have occurred as a result of bull bars. According to that study, some two or three additional fatalities have occurred throughout the United Kingdom specifically as a result of bull bars. Still, if people have suffered, our policy must be to get rid of the unnecessary projections.

§ Baroness Gardner of Parkes
My Lords, when we last discussed this issue I mentioned that these bars were originally called roo bars. I needed to translate that word 1615 to the House as meaning "kangaroo" bars, that being their origin. At that time I was very concerned about them. Is the Minister aware that in Australia, where they originated, the bars have become a metropolitan hazard in the same way? They are used as a smart device on cars rather than because they are necessary, as they would be in a rural area. Can the Minister tell me whether there is already any law which could cover them? I understand that one is no longer allowed to have a mascot in a dangerous position at the front of a car. Would the law which covers that possibly cover bull bars?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, my noble friend takes us back to the European angle on this issue. Clearly, if a vehicle is of the type approved, it must be acceptable within this country. The ultimate solution is to amend the External Projections Directive and then go on to the work that has been taken forward in Europe on softer car fronts in general. The mascot issue is slightly different. I understand that most mascots of that nature nowadays are lightly sprung and do not cause the injuries that occurred previously.

§ Lord Monson
My Lords, does the noble Viscount agree that Jersey is on the point of banning bull bars, not only on new vehicles but also on existing ones? Why cannot we speedily follow suit?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, the problem is that Jersey has a different relationship with Europe from the United Kingdom. That essentially is the difference.

§ Lord Swinfen
My Lords, can my noble friend explain the meaning of the phrase in his original Answer, "aggressive" bull bars?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, when we say "aggressive", we are talking about large, blunt, metallic objects attached to the front of vehicles. There are less aggressive bull bars, including ones with softer surfaces made of plastic, for example, that absorb energy more easily and are therefore less aggressive.

§ Lord Clinton-Davis
My Lords, is the Minister aware that that definition might also apply to some of his colleagues in the Government? The House will be reassured to know that the Government propose to support the European Commission's draft directive. Can the Minister confirm that that will be on the basis of qualified majority voting and will indicate one of the values of qualified majority voting?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, I understand that this type of issue is subject to qualified majority voting. However, this specific proposal was sufficiently technical not to require it to come before the Council. Nonetheless, the noble Lord is broadly correct with regard to the position. In relation to Members of the Government and bull bars, there are perhaps comparisons that can be drawn with Members of the Opposition in terms of their ability to bend with the 1616 flow, absorb energy and generally change shape at will. Perhaps therefore non-aggressive bull bars would be a better comparison.

§ Lord McIntosh of Haringey
My Lords, will the Minister assure the House that when this welcome change occurs there will be no question of compensation for owners of cars with bull bars or for manufacturers of bull bars for loss of business? If the Minister can confirm that, will he pass on the message to those who are to seek further compensation under firearms legislation?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, those issues would arise only if retrospective action was taken. Clearly, we are talking about amending a European Union directive which would have an effect on new vehicles.

§ Lord Monson
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord McIntosh, raised the question of pistols; I was not intending to do so. But does the Minister agree that each year twice as many people are killed by bull bars as were killed at Dunblane by pistols?

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, I cannot agree with that. Research carried out by the TRL—to which I referred earlier and a copy of which is in the Library of your Lordships' House—indicated that only two or three additional pedestrian deaths could be attributed specifically to the use of bull bars within the UK.

§ Lord Monson
My Lords, the Transport Research Laboratory gave a figure of 35 deaths per annum.

§ Viscount Goschen
My Lords, I am referring to the Transport Research Laboratory and the new research published yesterday, which the noble Lord does not appear to have seen. I direct him to the Library where he can obtain a copy, or perhaps he can see me afterwards. The new research indicates that the figure is substantially lower than the 35 that was previously put forward.