§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths arose from(a) road and (b) rail accidents in each year since 1972 to date, expressed (i) in absolute terms and (ii) per person mile travelled. [81577]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe table provides the number of deaths that arose in Great Britain from road and rail accidents expressed in absolute terms and per billion passenger miles travelled.
Deaths in road accidents relate to those occurring on the public highway (including footways) in which at least one road vehicle or a vehicle in collision with a pedestrian is involved.
Rail deaths include passenger deaths in train accidents and accidents occurring through the movement of railway vehicles. Staff deaths, trespassers, suicides and deaths occurring at railway premises that do not involve the movement of trains (for example, falling down steps) are excluded.
174W
Deaths in road and rail accidents Roads Rail Deaths Deaths per billion passenger
miles traveled
Deaths Deaths per billion passenger
miles traveled
1972 7,763 31.6 27 1.3 1973 7,406 28.8 42 1.9 1974 6,883 27.5 25 1.1 1975 6,366 25.5 69 3.1 1976 6,570 25.3 29 1.4 1977 6,614 25.0 27 1.3 1978 6,831 25.2 45 2.1 1979 6,352 23.6 50 2.3 1980 6,010 21.4 25 1.1 1981 5,846 20.5 35 1.7 1982 5,934 20.3 18 0.9 1983 5,445 18.5 27 1.3 1984 5,599 18.2 39 1.8 1985 5,165 16.5 31 1.4 1986 5,382 16.5 32 1.4 1987 5,125 14.7 39 1.6 1988 5,052 13.7 68 2.7 1989 5,373 13.5 31 1.3 1990 5,217 13.0 35 1.4 19911 4,568 11.5 30 1.2 1992 4,229 10.7 16 0.7 1993 3,814 9.6 14 0.6 1994 3,650 9.1 15 0.7 1995 3,621 9.0 8 0.3 1996 3,598 8.8 14 0.6 1997 3,599 8.7 22 0.8 1998 3,421 8.2 17 0.6 1999 3,423 8.2 43 1.5 20002 3,409 8.2 17 0.6 2001 3,450 8.2 37 30.2 1 From 1991, rail figures changed to financial years (there were eight deaths between January and March 1991).
2 Figures for road passenger miles travelled in 2000 and 2001 have been produced on a new basis. The effect on the estimated rate of deaths per billion passenger miles travelled is negligible.
3 Provisional figures.