HL Deb 15 October 2002 vol 639 cc44-5WA
Lord Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What duties and responsibilities the Health and Safety Commission has in relation to investigating instances of unsafe driving in:

  1. (a) passenger service vehicles and buses; and
  2. (b) trains; and who is responsible for discharging them. [HL5776]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

(a) The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has no duty to investigate instances of unsafe driving in passenger service vehicles and buses. Primary responsibility for the investigation of instances of unsafe driving on the road rests with the police under road traffic law. However the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may get involved, if approached by the police, where they have evidence that serious management failures have been a significant contributory factor in an incident.

(b) The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has no duty to investigate instances of unsafe driving in trains but where appropriate, HSE's HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) is able to investigate such instances and, if appropriate, bring a prosecution for breaches of health and safety law.

Lord Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Health and Safety Commission considers that the targets set by Transport for London for 70 per cent of bus drivers to be acceptable to inspectors on safety grounds is satisfactory; and whether they consulted before Transport for London reduced the targets from 80 per cent to 70 per cent. [HL5778]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

HSC has not been involved with Transport for London in setting these targets. This local initiative is specific to London. However HSE is involved with the Government's national strategyTomorrow's Roads: Safer for Everyone. This sets out 10-year targets for reducing road traffic casualties. As part of this initiative an independent task group was asked to examine the scale of work-related road incidents and recommend measures aimed at reducing these incidents.

The task group published its report in November 2001. HSE is working closely with the Department for Transport in taking forward a programme of work which is designed to reduce work-related road incidents. A copy of the group's report and HSC's advice has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Lord Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action the Health and Safety Commission is taking following reports that, in the three months April to July 2002, 40 per cent of London bus journeys involved serious driving faults and 3.2 per cent involved dangerous driving faults. [HL5779]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham

HSC is not responsible for monitoring the performance of bus drivers, and will not be taking any action on this particular issue. It has no duty to investigate incidents of unsafe driving in passenger service vehicles and buses. However, HSE is working closely with the Department for Transport in taking forward a programme of work which is designed to reduce work-related road incidents. This programme was formulated following publication of the report by the independent Work-related Road Safety Task Group on reducing at-work road traffic incidents. A copy of the group's report and HSC's advice has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.