HC Deb 23 October 2000 vol 355 cc54-5W
Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will estimate how many people in the United Kingdom use pedal cycles more than once a week; [134005]

(2) if he will estimate how many people in the United Kingdom own pedal cycles; [134007]

(3) if he will estimate how many people used a pedal cycle at least once a week in each of the last five years. [134004]

Mr. Hill

In Great Britain during the period 1998–99, 14 per cent. of respondents reported using a pedal cycle at least once a week, compared to 12 per cent. in 1989–91. Data on the frequency of use of pedal cycles were not collected on the National Travel Survey between 1992 and 1997.

Data for use of a pedal cycle more than once week are not collected on the National Travel Survey.

Data on individual ownership of pedal cycles are not held centrally. However, in the three year period 1997–99, 40 per cent. of households in Great Britain owned one or more pedal cycles (National Travel Survey).

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has under Local Transport Note 1/97 to codify the ways in which cyclists may use bus lanes; [134054]

(2) what plans he has to encourage local authorities to create more cycle ways in order to increase traffic flows in bus lanes. [134034]

Mr. Hill

The allocation of road space is a matter for the local Highway Authority. The Department issues advice to the Highway Authorities to encourage provision of cycle facilities and bus priority measures such as bus lanes.

The Local Transport Note 1/97, "Keeping Buses Moving 1997", provides advice about the introduction of bus priority measures, including bus lanes. For safety reasons it recommends that pedal cyclists be allowed to use bus lanes (this is the norm provided for in the Traffic Signs Regulation and General Directions 1994), unless there is a valid reason for their exclusion. The Department has no plans to codify ways in which cyclists may use bus lanes or for the introduction of cycle ways specifically to increase flows in bus lanes.