§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of women in each age group hold driving licences; and what assessment he has made of the consequences of differences between the percentage in each age group for the rate of growth in road traffic. [71117]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe table shows the percentage of women in each age group who held driving licences in Great Britain, over the period 1995–97.
Age Percentage 17–20 36 21–29 67 30–39 74 40–49 74 50–59 61 60–69 46 70 or over 22 All ages 57 Source:
National Travel Survey
Analysis of licence-holding by age band, for males and females separately, led to the published forecast that total licence-holding would increase from 67 per cent. to 73 per cent. of the adult population over a ten year period (1996–2006). This increase is one of the factors underlying the predicted growth in car ownership within the 1997 National Road Traffic Forecasts.
The forecasts are in the process of being revised in the light of the measures announced in the Integrated Transport White Paper. More detailed modelling of the impact of increasing licence-holding is one of the options under consideration.