§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Mr Jamieson on 9 January (HC Deb, 847W-848W, what utility benefits accrue to the driver of a vehicle in fitting, or buying a vehicle fitted with, bull bars; and whether those benefits outweigh the accident savings to pedestrians and cyclists from removing bull bars. [HL2423]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Government have not set out any benefits associated with vehicles being equipped with bull bars, though some owners clearly see a certain utility value otherwise they would not fit them in the first place. When options for possible national action on bull bars were examined in 1997, it was estimated that the cost to the owner of removing a bull bar would include £75 related to assumptions linked to loss of utility. In arriving at this figure no attempt was made to identify or value lost benefits. Some owners would obviously not bother with a replacement, but others might be willing to pay for a new "approved" replacement bull bar. An assumption was made that on average owners would replace their existing bull bar with a new pedestrian friendly one if the cost to them was £75.