HC Deb 26 January 1987 vol 109 cc5-6W
Mr. Gareth Wardell

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information his Department holds on the provisions for requiring the fitting of an obligatory red back reflector on a bicycle in (a) Austria, (b) Belgium, (c) Denmark, (d) Finland, (e) France, (f) Germany, (g) Ireland, (h) Italy, (i) Netherlands, (l) Norway, (m) Portugal, (n) Spain, (o) Sweden, (p) Switzerland and (q) the United Kingdom;

(2) if he has any plans to prohibit the sale of bicycles in the United Kingdom that fail to meet minimum technical safety standards;

(3) if he has plans to make it compulsory to fit a standard set of reflecting devices on bicycles including red to the rear, white to the front and yellow on pedals.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations 1984 already prohibit the sale of new bicycles which do not comply with the British Standard for cycles, BS 6102. This standard specifies side facing reflectors, a red rear reflector, amber pedal reflectors and, if sold without a front lamp, a white lamp reflector. Any pedal cycle being used on the road at night must have a red rear reflector.

I have no information regarding obligatory requirements for red rear reflectors on bicycles in other countries. There is an International Standard, ISO 4210, covering safety requirements for bicycles which includes a specification for red rear reflectors. The standard is not mandatory but has been approved by, inter alia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the provisions for requiring the fitting of a mandatory audible warning device on bicycles in (i) Austria, (ii) Belgium, (iii) Denmark, (iv) Finland, (v) France, (vi) Germany, (vii) Ireland, (viii) Italy, (ix) Netherlands, (x) Norway, (xi) Portugal, (xii) Spain, (xiii) Sweden, (xiv) Switzerland and (xv) the United Kingdom.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

We hold no information for the foreign countries listed. Audible warning devices have never been compulsory for bicycles in this country.

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