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5 Nov 2003 : Column 644W—continued
Road Safety
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned on the correlation between the speed of vehicles and the number of road accidents. [136083]
Mr. Jamieson: The Department has commissioned various studies into the correlation between vehicle speed and road accidents. These are either summarised or referenced in the Department's review of speed management policy entitled "New Directions in Speed Management—A review of policy" published in March 2000. Copies of this document are available in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the reasons for the slowing down of the rate of decrease in road fatalities in this decade. [136084]
Mr. Jamieson: The Transport Research Laboratory has been commissioned to investigate the reasons for the slowing down of the rate of decrease in road fatalities as part of their on-going work on monitoring the progress towards the 2010 casualty reduction target. It is a complex issue that demands in-depth analysis because there are different trends for different road user groups and for different accident types.
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the standard of driving on roads; and if he will make a statement. [136185]
Mr. Jamieson: One of our key road safety goals is to improve the standard of driving and our road safety strategy sets out a number of measures to achieve this. "Tomorrow's roads: safer for everyone", published in March 2000, is available in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve road signage and road markings. [136186]
Mr. Jamieson: The appearance of signs and markings, and conditions for their placing, are specified in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 (SI 3113), which came into effect earlier this year. Guidance on good practice in the design and use of signs is given in the Traffic Signs Manual. An updated Chapter 7, on sign design, and Chapter 5, on road markings, will be published later this month. It is the responsibility of individual traffic authorities to ensure that signs and markings are used in conformity with the statutory requirements and Government guidance.
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the risk to (a) motorists and (b) pedestrians posed by the level of non-compliance with traffic signals by pedal cyclists in London. [136388]
Mr. McNulty: The Department has made no such assessment. It is an offence for any vehicle not to stop at traffic signals when required to do so. Any cyclist or other road user who fails to comply with traffic signals is a danger to themselves and other road users.
5 Nov 2003 : Column 645W
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of licensing pedal cycles as a means to improve compliance by cyclists with road traffic regulations. [136390]
Mr. McNulty: The Department has examined the case for a road tax on cyclists in the past. It would require a registration system like the one for motor vehicles and the costs of the system would certainly outweigh any benefits for enforcement of road traffic offences by cyclists. Moreover, increasing the costs of cycling would not support our policy of encouraging more people to consider cycling as a viable mode of transport and we have no plans to introduce such a tax.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to make the wearing of bicycle helmets compulsory when riding on roads; and if he will make a statement on their safety uses. [136159]
Mr. Jamieson: A study commissioned by the Department to look into the effectiveness of cycle helmets, published in November last year, found that overall, the evidence suggests that cycle helmets are effective at reducing the severity of brain and upper facial injuries for all ages, and especially children. This reinforces our view that we should encourage helmets to be worn by children.
A survey undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory measuring wearing rates in 2002 found that the rate for all cyclists on built-up major roads was 25 per cent. The wearing rate is continuing to increase, with the exception of boys under 16 where the rate has reduced from 16 per cent. in 1994 to 12 per cent. in 2002. At these levels making helmets compulsory would cause enforcement difficulties and without greater public acceptance could have an effect on levels of cycling. We are making special efforts to persuade adolescents, and especially boys, to wear helmets. We will continue to monitor wearing rates by all ages and review the option of compulsory wearing from time to time.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have died from head injuries whilst riding a bicycle in each of the past 15 years. [136160]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. James Wray, dated 5 November 2003:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people have died from head injuries whilst riding a bicycle in each of the past 15 years. I am replying in his absence. (136160)
- The latest year for which data are available is 2002. The attached table for 1988 to 2002 inclusive, shows the number of deaths certified as being due to head injuries in cyclists.
5 Nov 2003 : Column 646W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1988 | 182 |
| 1989 | 196 |
| 1990 | 185 |
| 1991 | 177 |
| 1992 | 141 |
| 1993 | 91 |
| 1994 | 88 |
| 1995 | 130 |
| 1996 | 109 |
| 1997 | 102 |
| 1998 | 79 |
| 1999 | 95 |
| 2000 | 63 |
| 2001(3) | 59 |
| 2002(3) | 56 |
(1) Selected using the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD-9) underlying cause of death codes E800-E807 (.3), E810-E19 (.6), E820-E825 (.6), E826 (cyclists) combined with secondary cause codes 800–804 or 850–854 (head injuries) for 1988 to 2000 and the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) underlying cause of death codes V10-V19 (cyclists) combined with secondary cause codes SOO- S09 (head injuries) for 2001 and 2002,
(2) Figures are for the number of deaths registered in each year between 1988 and 1992 and for the number of deaths occurring in each year between 1993 and 2002.
(3) Data for 2001 and 2002 may not be directly comparable to those for previous years, due to the introduction of ICD-10 in 200 L The figures should therefore be interpreted with caution!
Sources:
1. Office for National Statistics
2. Griffiths C and Rooney C (2003) The effect of the introduction of ICD-10 on trends in mortality from injury and poisoning in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 19, 10–21.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to raise awareness of safety issues on the roads for (a) bicycle users and for (b) car drivers. [136161]
Mr. Jamieson: The Road Safety Strategy, "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone" sets out our aims to improve road safety for cyclists and car drivers. This is being done through publicity, training opportunities for cyclists, education initiatives and driver testing and training. Recent publicity campaigns have included drink driving, speed, mobile phones, seat belts and cycle helmets.
WALES
Crime and Disorder
8. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to seek a joint meeting of representatives of the police, local government, the National Assembly for Wales, the NHS and the Home Office to discuss issues relating to tackling crime and disorder in Wales. [135535]
Mr. Hain: The Welsh Community Safety Unit works closely with the 22 Community Safety Partnerships in Wales to tackle crime and disorder. The membership of these partnerships includes the police, local authorities and local health bodies.
5 Nov 2003 : Column 647W
Euro
9. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the impact of the rate of the euro on European funding available in Wales. [135536]
Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I meet regularly with Treasury Ministers to discuss a range of issues.
The Spending Review 2002 settlement enabled the Welsh Assembly to continue to meets its commitment to the success of the Objective 1 programme in Wales.
I understand that £595 million has so far been committed to 955 projects in West Wales and the Valleys.
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