§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance has been issued to road safety officers in the past 12 months; and what discussions and consultations there have been with road safety officers prior to their publication.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe Department offers frequent guidance and advice to road safety officers on relevant 119W developments in road safety education, training and publicity. We also alert them in advance to particular road safety campaigns, and hold regular liaison meetings with road safety officer representative bodies to discuss matters of common interest.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent publications have been made available, and to whom, relating to road safety.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe following publications have been issued in the last three months.
Circular Roads 1/93 Local speed LimitsKilling Speed and Saving Lives—The Government's strategy for tackling the problem of excess speed on our roadsThe Highway CodeCopies were sent on publication to local authorities, local authority associations, police, interested professional organisations, lobby groups, motoring organisations, and individuals who have requested copies. I also sent copies of the first two documents to Members who have written to me on the subject of speed in recent months.
In addition, a number of leaflets and posters have been issued to road safety officers, the police and motoring organisations dealing with winter driving, drinking and driving, including rehabilitation courses for drink-drive offenders; and seat belts.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the statutory duties of local authorities in respect of road safety.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleLocal authorities have a statutory duty to prepare and carry out a programme of measures designed to promote road safety and make contributions towards the cost of measures for promoting road safety taken by other authorities or bodies. They also have duties in regard of speed, pedestrian crossings, street furniture and other safety aspects.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authorities which do not employ road safety officers.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleNo. It is for individual local authorities to assess their own requirement for road safety officers, having regard to the needs of the local community.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what advice he has issued to local authorities on the appointment of road safety officers;
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the numbers of road safety officers required per 1,000 population.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleIt is for individual local authorities to assess their own requirement for road safety officers, having regard for the needs of the local community.