HC Deb 28 November 1990 vol 181 cc409-10W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in tabular form the number of rail deaths for each year from 1970 to 1989, inclusive, showing(a) total figures and (b) by category of (i) British Rail drivers, (ii) other British Rail staff and (iii) passengers.

Mr. McLoughlin

The table shows fatalities in accidents on all railway premises. The staff figures include all railway employees; no separate figures are available for British Rail staff fatalities. Similarly, I am unable to provide a breakdown between drivers and other railway employees.

Passenger fatality rates by mode 1975–89
Per billion passenger kilometres
Air1 Rail Water2 Bus or coach Car3 Two-wheeled motor vehicle3 Pedal cycle Pedestrian
1975 0.0 2.0 0.5 1.9 7.6 153.3 62.8 93.8
1976 1.3 0.9 2.6 1.1 7.4 144.6 60.0 93.4
1977 0.0 0.8 0.0 1.1 7.0 176.0 59.3 92.5
1978 0.0 1.3 0.5 1.0 6.9 175.1 61.8 97.1
1979 0.2 1.4 1.8 0.6 6.5 168.1 69.9 84.7
1980 2.0 0.7 1.3 0.6 5.8 140.0 59.2 77.6
1981 0.2 1.0 0.4 0.4 5.7 117.7 56.8 75.0
1982 0.0 0.6 0.9 0.7 6.0 109.1 45.9 74.8
1983 0.3 0.8 0.9 0.8 4.9 107.3 50.5 76.6
1984 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.8 5.0 109.7 53.8 74.7
1985 0.7 0.9 3.5 0.7 4.7 100.0 47.0 71.6
1986 0.5 0.8 0.5 0.6 4.8 99.8 49.5 74.4
1987 0.0 1.0 69.8 0.4 4.4 99.8 48.8 68.1
1988 0.0 1.7 0.5 0.3 4.1 114.0 45.7 70.1
1989 0.0 0.8 22.8 0.5 4.4 100.1 56.8 68.2

Notes:

1 World passenger carrying services of United Kingdom airlines for fixed and rotary wing craft over 2,300 kilograms. Passenger kilometres relate to revenue passengers only.

2 Domestic and international passenger services of United Kingdom-registered vessels.

3 Drivers and passengers in Great Britain.

Year Total Railway staff Passengers Other persons
1970 143 67 55 21
1971 125 60 47 18
1972 99 48 30 21
1973 97 42 42 13
1974 78 38 26 14
1975 127 46 69 12
1976 97 46 30 21
1977 84 34 30 20
1978 114 45 47 22
1979 107 43 52 12
1980 69 32 26 11
1981 76 27 39 10
1982 57 27 20 10
1983 69 28 29 12
1984 76 25 39 12
1985 74 25 33 16
1986 97 16 32 24
1987 104 16 68 20
1988 97 16 69 12
1989 69 18 33 18

Notes:

1.Includes contractors' staff from 1984 onwards.

2.Excluding trespassers, suicides and attempted suicides.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in tabular form the death rate per thousand miles travelled for each year from 1970 to 1989 (inclusive) for(a) car, (b) rail, (c) air (United Kingdom airlines), (d) air (within United Kingdom airspace), (e) bicycle, (f) motor bike, (g) lorry, (h) bus, (i) ship (United Kingdom-registered vessels) and (j) ship (within United Kingdom waters).

Mr. McLoughlin

The readily available information is set out in the table.

An article concerning fatality rates by mode of transport appears in the Department's publication "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1979–1989", pages 1 to 5, which is available in the Library

Further information is either unavailable or could he supplied only at disproportionate cost.