§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce legislation to make negligent spillage of diesel on highways an endorsable offence; and if he will make a statement. [93646]
§ Mr. HillThere is an offence, under existing regulations, of "using a vehicle in a dangerous condition" the penalty for which in the case of goods vehicles and buses includes an endorsement of 3 penalty points. It would be for the police and the courts to decide whether such an offence might apply to a case where a motorist had spilled diesel on the road.
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 currently require that fuel tanks must be constructed and maintained in such a manner that neither liquid nor vapour can escape from them. Anyone failing to comply with these Regulations may be liable to a maximum fine of £2,500.
The European Parliament is currently considering changes to the Fuel Tank Directive (70/221/EEC), which would require fuel caps to be securely attached to the tank. When applied in the UK this amendment should reduce the risk of spillage even further.
§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to include road accidents caused by diesel spillage as a separate category within road accident statistics; and if he will make a statement. [93645]
§ Mr. HillData on the presence of oil or diesel on the road surface at the site of a road accident have been collected as a separate category within road accident statistics from the beginning of 1999. It was introduced following a review of the collection of national road accident statistics. No information is collected nationally on the contributory factors to accidents.