§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned on the correlation between the speed of vehicles and the number of road accidents. [136083]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Department has commissioned various studies into the correlation between vehicle speed and road accidents. These are either summarised or referenced in the Department's review of speed management policy entitled "New Directions in Speed Management—A review of policy" published in March2000. Copies of this document are available in the Libraries of the House.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the reasons for the slowing down of the rate of decrease in road fatalities in this decade. [136084]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Transport Research Laboratory has been commissioned to investigate the reasons for the slowing down of the rate of decrease in road fatalities as part of their on-going work on monitoring the progress towards the 2010 casualty reduction target. It is a complex issue that demands in-depth analysis because there are different trends for different road user groups and for different accident types.
§ Mr. David MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the standard of driving on roads; and if he will make a statement. [136185]
§ Mr. JamiesonOne of our key road safety goals is to improve the standard of driving and our road safety strategy sets out a number of measures to achieve this. "Tomorrow's roads: safer for everyone", published in March 2000, is available in the Libraries of the House.
§ Mr. David MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve road signage and road markings. [136186]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe appearance of signs and markings, and conditions for their placing, are specified in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 (SI 3113), which came into effect earlier this year. Guidance on good practice in the design and use of signs is given in the Traffic Signs Manual. An updated Chapter 7, on sign design, and Chapter 5, on road markings, will be published later this month. It is the responsibility of individual traffic authorities to ensure that signs and markings are used in conformity with the statutory requirements and Government guidance.
§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the risk to(a) motorists and (b) pedestrians posed by the level of non-compliance with traffic signals by pedal cyclists in London [136388]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Department has made no such assessment. It is an offence for any vehicle not to stop at traffic signals when required to do so. Any cyclist or other road user who fails to comply with traffic signals is a danger to themselves and other road users.
645W
§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of licensing pedal cycles as a means to improve compliance by cyclists with road traffic regulations. [136390]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Department has examined the case for a road tax on cyclists in the past. It would require a registration system like the one for motor vehicles and the costs of the system would certainly outweigh any benefits for enforcement of road traffic offences by cyclists. Moreover, increasing the costs of cycling would not support our policy of encouraging more people to consider cycling as a viable mode of transport and we have no plans to introduce such a tax.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to make the wearing of bicycle helmets compulsory when riding on roads; and if he will make a statement on their safety uses. [136159]
§ Mr. JamiesonA study commissioned by the Department to look into the effectiveness of cycle helmets, published in November last year, found that overall, the evidence suggests that cycle helmets are effective at reducing the severity of brain and upper facial injuries for all ages, and especially children. This reinforces our view that we should encourage helmets to be worn by children.
A survey undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory measuring wearing rates in 2002 found that the rate for all cyclists on built-up major roads was 25 per cent. The wearing rate is continuing to increase, with the exception of boys under 16 where the rate has reduced from 16 per cent. in 1994 to 12 per cent. in 2002. At these levels making helmets compulsory would cause enforcement difficulties and without greater public acceptance could have an effect on levels of cycling. We are making special efforts to persuade adolescents, and especially boys, to wear helmets. We will continue to monitor wearing rates by all ages and review the option of compulsory wearing from time to time.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have died from head injuries whilst riding a bicycle in each of the past 15 years. [136160]
§ Ruth KellyI have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. James Wray, dated 5 November 2003:
646WThe National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people have died from head injuries whilst riding a bicycle in each of the past 15 years. I am replying in his absence. (136160)The latest year for which data are available is 2002. The attached table for 1988 to 2002 inclusive, shows the number of deaths certified as being due to head injuries in cyclists.
Number of deaths of cyclists from head injuries1, England and Wales, 1988–20022 Number 1988 182 1989 196 1990 185 1991 177 1992 141 1993 91 1994 88 1995 130 1996 109 1997 102 1998 79 1999 95 2000 63 20013 59 20023 56 1 Selected using the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD-9) underlying cause of death codes E800-E807 (.3), E810-E19 (.6), E820-E825 (.6), E826 (cyclists) combined with secondary cause codes 800–804 or 850–854 (head injuries) for 1988 to 2000 and the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) underlying cause of death codes V10-V19 (cyclists) combined with secondary cause codes SOO- S09 (head injuries) for 2001 and 2002, 2 Figures are for the number of deaths registered in each year between 1988 and 1992 and for the number of deaths occurring in each year between 1993 and 2002. 3 Data for 2001 and 2002 may not be directly comparable to those for previous years, due to the introduction of ICD-10 in 200 L The figures should therefore be interpreted with caution! Sources:
- 1. Office for National Statistics
- 2. Griffiths C and Rooney C (2003) The effect of the introduction of ICD-10 on trends in mortality from injury and poisoning in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 19,10–21.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to raise awareness of safety issues on the roads for(a) bicycle users and for (b) car drivers. [136161]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Road Safety Strategy, "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone" sets out our aims to improve road safety for cyclists and car drivers. This is being done through publicity, training opportunities for cyclists, education initiatives and driver testing and training. Recent publicity campaigns have included drink driving, speed, mobile phones, seat belts and cycle helmets.