§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to improve safety on B, C and unclassified roads in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the annual proportion of accidents, fatalities and injuries that have occurred on such roads in recent years. [38948]
§ Mr. NorrisSafety on B, C and unclassified roads is the responsibility of the local highway authority. The wide range of Government measures to reduce accidents—including anti-drink driving and speeding campaigns, and measures to reduce young driver risk—influence drivers on all roads, and are reflected in the reduced numbers of accidents on non built-up B, C and unclassified roads. Fatal and serious injury accidents have fallen by 37 per cent. on these roads since the 1981 to 1985 baseline. Local highway authorities can improve the road layout at known accident blackspots and the Government have given £55 million this year to fund local safety schemes.
Casualties on non-built up B, C and unclassified roads in England and Wales in 1995 were:
- Fatalities: 498
- Seriously injured: 5,281
- Slightly injured: 22,175
The proportion of Great Britain casualty accidents on non-built up B, C and unclassified roads has remained very stable—in 1994, it was 8.7 per cent., which was unchanged from the 1981 to 1985 baseline proportion.