§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many serious and how many fatal injuries have been caused as a result of accidents involving motor cycles in each of the last three years; what action is being taken to reduce these accidents; and if, following the recommendations in the report of the Transport Committee on "Road Safety", he is considering limiting the engine sizes of motor cycles for younger riders.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information requested is as follows:
Fatalities Serious injuries 1981 1,304 20,553 1982 1,267 20,608 1983 1,073 17,715 Figures for 1984 are not yet available.
The Transport Act 1981 contained a number of measures designed to improve the safety of motor cyclists, including a reduction in the maximum size of the learner machine. I have already said that I shall be reviewing the operation of these measures. I shall give my views on the Transport Committee's recommendations on motor cycling when I make my overall response to the Committee's report.