Bull Bars (Hansard, 23 June 1997)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)
My Lords, we are currently reviewing, as a matter of urgency, the available options in order to ensure that we tackle the bull bar issue as effectively as possible.
Progress in Europe to amend the external projections directive to address aggressive bull bars has, we regret, been slow, with some member states opposing the Commission's proposal. The Dutch have recently suggested an alternative proposal intended to overcome these objections, although it has not yet been tabled by the Commission.

§ The Earl of Kinnoull
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that encouraging reply. Is she aware that the campaign to ban bull bars in Britain has now been in existence for more than two years? We have been waiting patiently for the Commission to produce a directive. Is it not time that we lost our patience and took a national stand on the issue to prevent the injury and damage caused by bull bars?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Earl's long-standing interest in the subject. We share his desire to make rapid progress on the issue. We still believe that the best mechanism is through extending and amending the external projections directive, but if that is not possible we shall consider what national action could be effective if progress is not forthcoming. It is important in reviewing the available options, including national action, that the action should be practicable and not leave us open to legal challenge.

The Viscount of Falkland
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that one might expect motorcycling groups to be extremely concerned about bull bars? However, I can say, as secretary of the all-party motorcycling group, that there is very little evidence that motorcyclists particularly fear injury from collision with vehicles which have bull bars. But we place those cars high on the list of vehicles that we must treat with extreme caution; for example, any car with a miniature football shirt in the back or any vehicle with a ladder on the top.

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I am tempted to respond about the responsibilities of drivers who support football teams but I shall not do so. I am interested in 1427 the noble Viscount's comments about motorcyclists and bull bars. However, I am certain that a great many pedestrians are extremely concerned about the dangers posed to them, and in particular to child pedestrians, by an unnecessary and aggressive addition to many cars.

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, will the Minister tell me what is the difference between being hit by a 4 × 4 with a bull bar and a 4 × 4 without a bull bar at, for example, 30 miles per hour?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, the Transport Research Laboratory assessed that the increased risk of severe injury with a car that had bull bars was 21 per cent.

Earl Attlee
My Lords, given the Labour Party's appetite for banning perfectly legal and respectable activities, is it not ironic that when faced with a genuine menace, the Minister is unable to offer any solution other than to wait for an EU directive?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I cannot believe that the noble Earl speaking from the Opposition Front Bench has been listening carefully to what I tried to say this afternoon. Our position is quite clear. It would be most satisfactory if we could achieve concerted action through European measures. If we cannot, the Government are looking seriously at what we can do at a national level.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the party opposite had two years of representation in which to put the matter right and that perhaps it is a great shame that they did not do so? Has she any figures for the number of people who have been killed or injured who would not otherwise have been killed or injured had bull bars not been in use? If there have been such fatalities and other accidents, should we not now act nationally, immediately, irrespective of what comes forth from the European Union?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I do not believe that we should act unilaterally irrespective of what comes forth from the European Union if that were to produce more protection for our pedestrians than limited national action. That is why the Government's view is that we should give the Dutch proposal a fair wind; see if it is accepted; and only if it is not should we take national action. Estimates have been made about the number of injuries. Transport Research Laboratory research undertaken recently estimated that 84 serious injuries and, I believe, between two and three additional deaths were due to bull bars.

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, where are bull bars made? Are they made in those countries which are opposing the extension to the directive?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I am afraid that I am not able to give an immediate response as to where those accoutrements are manufactured but I shall undertake to 1428 write to the noble Lord about that. Different countries take different attitudes towards bull bars on broader grounds than where they are manufactured.

§ Lord Hayhoe
My Lords, the Minister indicated that the Government are prepared to give a fair wind to action at a European level. For how long will that fair wind be allowed to blow before national action is contemplated and put into effect?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, it would be sensible to give a reasonable but not extended period of time. As has been pointed out, this issue has been under consideration for two years and I do not believe that it should go on for that long.