§ Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have been employed solely, and how many partly, on cycling matters at (a) his Department and (b) the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, in each year from 1978 to 1983.
§ Mr. David HowellThe numbers of staff employed solely on work related to the provision of cycling facilities have been:
Headquarters TRRL 1978 2 2 1979 2 3 1980 3 4 1981 4 4 1982 5 3 1983 5 3 In addition, between 1978 and 1982, TRRL undertook research on brakes and conspicuity aids for cyclists and this involved one or two staff full-time.
A large number of staff in headquarters, regional offices and at TRRL spend part of their time on cycling matters. The level of individual involvement varies widely and it is not possible to provide a single figure estimate which would be meaningful.
§ Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have submitted to him transport policies and programmes which allocate 1 per cent. or more of their budgets to cycling matters.
§ Mr. David HowellThe Greater London council expressed a target level of spending of around 1 per cent. of its overall capital budget. Other authorities were less specific and often included cycling expenditure under a broader heading, with the result that a separate percentage cannot be identified.
104Wdistort the apparent relationship of the revalued total to the grant paid. The best estimates which can be made are as follows:
§ Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to revise local transport note 1/78 entitled "Ways of Helping Cyclists in Built-Up Areas".
§ Mr. David HowellIt is being updated in instalments as new information becomes available on specific topics. The first two revisions, dealing with the new package of cycle signs and with the shared use of facilities by cyclists and pedestrians, will be available shortly.
§ Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidelines to local authorities for cycle planning.
§ Mr. David HowellMy Department encourages the provision of improved facilities for cyclists through technical advice and financial support but it is for county councils to decide in the light of local circumstances what priority to give to cycling schemes when formulating their transport policies and programmes.