§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to introduce legislation to ban bull bars on vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [2057]
§ Mr. BowisEarlier this year, the European Commission proposed an amendment to the External Projections Directive, 74/483/EEC, which would control the fitting of aggressive bull bars. My Department was involved in the preparation of this draft amendment which, it is hoped, will be incorporated into the directive early next year.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the numbers of(a) pedestrians and (b) passengers who have been (i) injured and (ii) killed as a direct result of a vehicle being fitted with bull bars in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [2052]
537W
§ Mr. BowisThe Department commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to carry out a study of data from accidents involving bull bars and to make an objective assessment of the real risks which they pose to vulnerable road users. TRL has now completed the work and expects to publish its conclusions shortly.