§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what assessment the Government have made of(a) the benefits associated with the fitting of bull bars to vehicles in the UK and (b) the cost of removing bull bars from vehicles fitted with such bars in the UK; [24291]
(2) what assessment he has made of the impact the European Commission recommendations on safer car fronts will have on deaths and serious injuries associated with bull bars. [24290]
§ Mr. JamiesonA draft regulatory appraisal was prepared in 1997 in connection with a consultation on possible national action on bull bars. Although this identified the benefits of removing bull bars, it did not identify benefits associated with fitting them. The cost to owners of removing bull bars was estimated at £110 per vehicle, being £35 for physical removal and £75 related to assumptions linked to loss of utility.
We have not made a separate assessment of the benefits expected from the bull bar aspect of the European Commission's proposal on pedestrian protection.