HC Deb 22 March 1989 vol 149 c589W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute an immediate investigation into(a) the carriage of dangerous substances by road, (b) the numbers of heavy goods vehicles involved in accidents in 1988–89 and (c) the numbers of heavy goods vehicles carrying dangerous loads that were involved in accidents over the last five years.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The regulations governing the carriage of these goods by road are regularly reviewed and updated. The figure for accidents in 1988 involving HGVs is not yet available. In 1987 it was 15,107. This is some 18 per cent. lower than 10 years ago.

There were 101 accidents involving vehicles carrying these goods reported to HSE in 1986–87. This was the first year separate records were kept. The comparable figure for 1987–88 was 68.