§ Mr. SymsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made towards reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents over the past 12 months. [3547]
§ Mr. JamiesonGood progress is being made in implementing the Government's Road Safety Strategy that was launched in March 2000. Progress to date and proposed next steps on the many elements of the strategy are reported in a quarterly schedule which is placed on the DTLR website (www.roads.dtlr.gov.uk/roadsafety/strategy/imp/index.htm). The end-June 2001 schedule will be available there soon.
The main road casualty results for 2000 were published on 14 June 2001. Fuller details will be published in September. I am pleased to say that the number of deaths and serious injuries in 2000 was 2 per cent. less than that for the previous year, and for children up to age 15, the number was 9 per cent. lower. I very much hope that this is part of a continuing downward trend and that we achieve or better the target casualty reductions set for 2010 in the strategy: a 40 per cent. reduction in the number of deaths and serious injuries, a 50 per cent. reduction in the number of child deaths and serious injuries, and a 10 per cent. reduction in the rate (by vehicle mileage) of slight injuries—all compared with the averages for 1994 to 1998.