§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 22 May 2002,Official Report, column 349W, if he will (a) provide a breakdown of the table by (i) wild animals, (ii) cattle and (iii) domestic animals and (b) provide an explanation for the decline in 2001–02. [60031]
§ Mr. JamiesonI have been asked to reply.
The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate only records incidents of trains running into either cows or horses where the animals were subsequently killed, injured or retrieved from railway lines. Details are contained in the following table.
Year Cows Horses 1996–97 67 15 1997–98 56 14 1998–99 53 13 1999–2000 71 17 2000–01 68 14 2001–021 46 5 1 Provisional Figures are also recorded for trains striking other animals if the strike causes damage to the train which necessitates immediate repair. However the type of animal is not recorded. All these figures are also available in HM Chief Inspector of Railways Annual Report on Railway Safety, copies of which are in both House Libraries.
It is not year clear whether the decline in 2001–02 has any statistical significance. However, factors may include the better provision of fencing and the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.