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12 Oct 2009 : Column 375W—continued
The UK heavy-duty vehicle fleet, in 2008, consisted of 316,800 rigid vehicles and 119,500 articulated vehicles. The average annual distance travelled was 28,500 miles for rigid vehicles, and 73,000 miles for articulated vehicles. Within these averages, however, data from road freight surveys suggest there is significant variation with vehicle age, with newer vehicles in general having higher annual mileages than older ones. Consequently the contribution of vehicles at lower Euro standards to total mileage will be lower than the fleet proportions alone would suggest.
In addition to the Euro standards, EU emissions directives also include a voluntary "Environmentally Enhanced Vehicle" standard, which in fact is very similar to the Euro V standard. We are unable to provide specific data relating to vehicles in this emissions class, but we believe that they form only a very small proportion of the vehicle fleet.
Motor Vehicles: Safety Belts
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what research his Department (a) has commissioned, (b) plans to commission and (c) has evaluated on the merits of installing a seat belt reminder system in all new motor vehicles sold; and if he will make a statement; [289575]
(2) what research his Department (a) has commissioned, (b) plans to commission and (c) has evaluated on the effects of seat belt reminder systems on seat belt wearing rates; and if he will make a statement. [289580]
Paul Clark: The last UK seat belt wearing survey in 2008 recorded 95 per cent. of drivers and 93 per cent. of front seat passengers wore seat belts in passenger cars. Published research has indicated that seat belt reminders can have a positive effect on seat belt wearing rates. The Department for Transport has not commissioned and has no plans to commission further research on the merits of installing a seat belt reminder system in all new vehicles sold.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what recent discussions he has had
with the motor industry on the installation of a seat belt reminder system in all new motor vehicles sold; and if he will make a statement; [289576]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on the introduction of seat belt reminders in new vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [289583]
Paul Clark: The motor industry was partner to detailed negotiations that led to requirements within regulations made under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe for seat belt reminders to be fitted to the driver's seat in passenger cars. The European Commission has brought forward proposals to adopt these requirements into Community law as part of their regulatory simplification process and the Department for Transport will be meeting with Commission officials later this month.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of installing a seat belt reminder system in the front seats of motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [289577]
Paul Clark: Currently, many new cars are equipped with seat belt reminders for their front seats on a voluntary basis. We have not estimated the costs of this installation.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when his Department last undertook a review of the evidence relating to the effectiveness of seat belts in reducing deaths and injury that drew on (a) UK and (b) international research; and if he will make a statement. [289578]
Paul Clark: The most recent report the Department has produced on the effectiveness of wearing seat belts was published in November 2008, Road Safety Research Report 98-"Strapping Yarns: Why People Do and Do Not Wear Seat Belts".
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to allow persons guilty of an offence under section 14(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, in lieu of a fine, to attend a driving safety course paid for by the offender that includes instruction on the benefits of wearing seat belts; and if he will make a statement. [289579]
Paul Clark: The decision to offer any driving safety course as an alternative to prosecution or a fixed penalty notice is entirely a matter for the police where they feel it is the most productive option. There is nothing to prevent the police offering courses in respect of the benefits of using seat belts.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the seat belt wearing rate has been in each province in Northern Ireland (a) in the last period for which figures are available and (b) in each month since 2005. [289582]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. This is now a matter for the Northern Ireland Administration.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to provide incentives to consumers to purchase cars fitted with a seat belt reminder system; and if he will make a statement. [289584]
Paul Clark: There are no plans to do so.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions he has had with motor insurers on insurance premiums for drivers of vehicles fitted with a seat belt reminder system; and if he will make a statement. [289620]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport had no discussions with motor insurers on insurance premiums for drivers of vehicles fitted with a seat belt reminder system.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what records his Department has on the percentage of cars sold which were fitted with a seat belt reminder system in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [289702]
Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not collect this information.
Motor Vehicles: Testing
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the MOT test in identifying vehicles which may be dangerous due to blacking out or tinting of windows. [291634]
Paul Clark: The MOT test does not include a check of the level of light transmittance through tinted vehicle windows. To include this item in the MOT test would require all 19,000 MOT test stations to incur expenditure on special test equipment. This could involve a cost of around £10 million and there would be additional costs associated with calibrating and maintaining the equipment. Given that relatively few vehicles appear to have excessively tinted front windows we consider that the issue is best addressed through enforcement at the roadside.
Motorcycles: Accidents
Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2009, Official Report, columns 766-8W, on motorcycles: accidents, how many moped riders aged (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19 and (e) 20 years were (i) injured and (ii) killed in road traffic accidents in (A) the London borough of Wandsworth, (B) London and (C) England in 2008. [290164]
Paul Clark: The number of (i) injured casualties and (ii) fatalities resulting from reported personal injury road accidents for moped riders aged (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19 and (e) 20 years-old in (A) London borough of Wandsworth, (B) London and (C) England in 2008 is given in the table:
| Reported number of injured and fatal casualties by age of moped riders( 1) in London b orough of Wandsworth, Greater London, and England: 2008 | |||||||
| Number of casualties from injury accidents reported to the police | |||||||
| London b orough of Wandsworth( 2) | Greater London( 2) | England | |||||
| Age | Injured | Killed | Injured | Killed | Injured | Killed | |
| (1 )Motorcycles with engine size of 50cc or less. (2) Source: Transport for London. | |||||||
Motorcycles: Driving Tests
Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many moped riders aged (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19 and (e) 20 years have passed the practical moped test (i) nationally, (ii) in Wandsworth and (iii) in London in each of the last five years. [290165]
Paul Clark: The information sought is as follows:
| Nationally | ||||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total | |
| Greater London | ||||||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total | |
The Driving Standards Agency has no test centre at Wandsworth.
Motorcycles: Licensing
Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many moped riders aged (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 19 and (e) 20 years have been licensed to drive on public roads (i) nationally, (ii) in Wandsworth and (iii) in London in each of the last five years. [290166]
Paul Clark: The following table shows the number of moped drivers aged 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 who were licensed to drive on public roads in Great Britain, London and Wandsworth.
| Age | GB | London | Wandsworth | |
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