§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now state the conclusions of the Transport Research Laboratory study into additional injuries in accidents to pedestrians and cyclists caused by bull and roo bars on motor vehicles referred to in his answer of 26 May 1993,Official Report, column 568; and what action he intends to take in response to the conclusions of the study.
§ Mr. NorrisThe Transport Research Laboratory study was a general study of pedestrian accidents, the sample for which contained insufficient data for any firm conclusions to be drawn about bull bars. However, impact tests using an instrumented child-size headform on a bull bar have shown that the severity of an impact on a bull bar appears significantly greater than on a flexible bonnet.
Pedestrian injury accidents involving bull bars are currently being identified by the police for investigation by the Transport Research Laboratory. We will have a fuller picture when the reports of these accidents have been analysed.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of state for Transport what current proposals he has to restrict the use of bull bars; and what reports he has received of fatal accidents attributed to bull bars.
§ Mr. NorrisPedestrian injury accidents involving bull bars are currently being identified by the police for investigation by the Transport Research Laboratory. We will have a fuller picture when the reports of these accidents have been analysed.