§ Sir Mark Lennox-BoydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 52, on sound barriers on motorways, if he will now make a statement. [9182]
§ Mr. WattsI have completed a review of the policy and have no changes to propose. Noise barriers have been provided on new roads and improvement schemes opened after 16 October 1969 where they offer an effective benefit to an appreciable number of properties which would otherwise have qualified for noise insulation under the Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 (Statutory Instrument No 1763), and where the cost of providing the barriers did not exceed the cost of individual insulation. For the purpose of determining whether a property would qualify for noise insulation, changes in noise level are calculated on the basis of projected traffic growth 15 years from the date of opening of the scheme.
It remains the Department's policy, subject to the availability of funds occasionally, and in exceptional circumstances, to exercise a discretionary power of
1991 1992 1993 Killed Injured Killed Injured Killed Injured Car or van drivers 15 149 11 134 9 146 Car or van passengers 24 800 15 599 10 508 Front seat car passengers 2 61 3 71 4 61 Rear seat car passengers 20 696 11 509 6 420 All van passengers 2 43 1 19 0 27 It is not known how many of these casualties were as a direct result of not wearing a seat belt.