HC Deb 13 March 1995 vol 256 c432W
Ms Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland's programme aimed at reducing the number of fatal and serious road accident casualties.

Mr. Moss

The Department of Environment (NI) is carrying forward a programme of road safety measures aimed at reducing the number of fatal and serious road accident casualties by one third by the year 2000. The main elements of the programme are as follows:

  1. (a) Road Safety Plan The Department will be publishing its first plan later this year. It will set out how we will work together with other road safety bodies to achieve a one-third reduction in fatal and serious casualties by the year 2000.
  2. (b) Publicity Campaigns The Department, with assistance from the private sector intends to mount two major campaigns this year on speeding and drink/driving.
  3. (c) Road Safety Education in Schools The road safety education in schools will be continued although, due to resource constraints, the road safety education officer service is being reduced by approximately one third. Additional finance will be available for teaching materials. The cost of producing the annual road safety teaching aid calendar has been considerably reduced by competitive tendering, thereby improving value for money.
  4. (d) Road Traffic Legislation Northern Ireland's road traffic legislation will be updated to strengthen it and also bring it more closely into line with Great Britain. The Road Traffic (NI) Order 1995 was published in January 1995 and is on target to complete its parliamentary process by mid 1995.
  5. (e) Accident Remedial and Traffic Calming Measures In the last two years the Department has increased funding by 42 per cent. based on 1992–93 and 1994–95 (estimated figures). A further increase in funding of 16 per cent. is proposed for 1995–96.
  6. (f) Commercial Vehicle Checking Enforcement Additional resources are being deployed to enable the Department to further strengthen its efforts to target "on-road" checking of roadworthiness and loading standards for commercial vehicles.