§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to carry out an annual survey into the unlicensed operation of heavy goods vehicles. [38144]
§ Mr. BowisWe have no current plans to repeat the survey of illegal goods vehicle operators which was carried out in October last year.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of heavy goods vehicles divided by weight involved in road accidents which have resulted in(a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) slight injuries during 1995. [38202]
§ Mr. BowisThe number of HGVs involved in injury road accidents, by gross weight and accident severity in Great Britain in 1995 was as follows:
Vehicles Accident severity Gross weight Fatal Serious Slight Total 3,501–16,000 126 735 3,164 4.017 16,001–24,000 107 495 1,899 2.501 24,001–33,000 134 599 2,256 2,990 33,001–38,000 247 883 3,119 4,258 Total 614 2,713 10,438 13,765
1. The weight distributions are estimated from road accidents data submitted by the police. Differences in totals are due to rounding.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budgets were allocated to the enforcement of heavy goods and public service safety regulations for each of the last 10 years. [38146]
§ Mr. BowisFigures for years before 1991–92 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Figures for the last five years are as follows:
Year HGV traffic and roadworthiness enforcement budgets (£) PSV traffic and roadworthiness enforcement budgets (£) 1991–92 11,223,746 2,268,680 1992–93 11,303,161 2,347,610 1993–94 11,112,988 2,116,650 1994–95 10,921,773 2,186,787 1995–96 11,063,032 2,281.217
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to commit further funds into 357W front-line enforcement of heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles safety regulations by Vehicle Inspectorate enforcement officers. [38212]
Mrs. Dun woodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to use laden heavy goods vehicles in heavy goods vehicle driving tests. [38206]
§ Mr. BowisWe are currently looking at the case for requiring learner lorry drivers to use ballasted vehicles when taking a lorry driving test. It could have significant implication for the cost of training and testing new lorry drivers, and there would need to be detailed consultation with the parties affected before the necessary regulations could be put before Parliament.
§ Ms Glenda JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents(a) in total, (b) involving serious injuries and (c) involving fatalities involved heavy goods vehicles in each of the years 1979 to 1996. [39285]
§ Mr. BowisThe information requested is shown in the following table.
Accidents involving HGVs: by accident severity: GB: 1979–1995 Accident severity Year Fatal Serious Total 1979 940 4,690 16,471 1980 782 4,051 14,117 1981 761 3,859 13,283 1982 786 3,808 13,307 1983 722 3,387 12,328 1984 777 3,570 12,950 1985 728 3,457 13,073 1986 794 3,503 13,435 1987 776 3,509 13,642 1988 802 3,737 14,775 1989 878 3,795 16,107 1990 791 3,387 15,063 1991 683 2,885 13,616 1992 650 2,706 13,016 1993 608 2,520 13,173 1994 540 2,598 13,178 1995 530 2.445 12,613
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the amount of revenue lost due to the illegal operation of heavy goods and public service vehicles. [38143]
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to apply the income raised from heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicle operator licences for the enforcement of heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicle regulations. [38142]
§ Mr. BowisIncome raised from both heavy goods and public service vehicle operators is part of general taxation and as such is paid into the central Exchequer funds and not ring fenced. The Department is, however, required to set fees at such a level as to recover from operators the total sums spent both on enforcement and on running the traffic area offices.