An overview of recent cycling orientated written PQs is available below along with links for further information.
Cycling: Safety
28th November
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make (a)sensors for the blindspot and (b) other cycling safety equipment a legal requirement on all new (i) heavy goods vehicles and (ii) passenger service vehicles; (2) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make (a) sensors for the blindspot and (b) other cycling safety equipment a legal requirement on all existing (i) heavy goods vehicles and (ii) passenger service vehicles.
Mr Goodwill: The Department for Transport has led moves at the UN-ECE to improve the mirrors fitted to new heavy goods vehicles. Once implemented at EU level these new mirrors will help cycle safety by increasing the driver’s view of the passenger side.
The International Standards Organisation (ISO) is developing a standard for camera monitoring systems fitted to road vehicles. The Government anticipates the standard will be included within the UN-ECE regulation as a means to improve further the driver vision for new large vehicles. It is possible that these new mirrors and camera systems could be fitted to existing large vehicles.
There are no plans currently to introduce requirements for sensing systems to detect cyclists alongside heavy vehicles. A full assessment of these systems will be needed before reaching a decision to impose additional costs on operators of these vehicles.
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will launch a public education campaign to encourage all cyclists to engage in safe cycling practice.
Mr Goodwill: Cycling safety is one of the THINK! road safety campaign priorities for 2013-14. This autumn I launched the first paid-for media campaign targeting drivers and cyclists with cycle safety messages.
Working in partnership with Transport for London (TfL), THINK! adopted TfL’s ‘tips’ campaign and extended it to run in five cities across England where cyclist KSIs are highest (outside of London). These cities included Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cambridge.
Form more information on the debate, click here.
Cycling
27th November
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department allocates to (a) promote cycling,(b) promote cycling safety and (c) provide infrastructure improvements.
Mr Goodwill: This Government has committed £278 million of funding directly for cycling; along with £535 million investment from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund on projects which include cycling. This funding supports local authorities across England to deliver schemes to promote cycling, such as new and improved cycle routes, improved junctions and crossings; Bikeability cycle training to improve cyclist road sense and safety; increased cycle parking at rail stations; as well as some cycle hire schemes. We have invested £35 million specifically to deliver safer junctions for cyclists; this includes £15 million for junctions in London. In October we launched our first paid-for THINK! Campaign: THINK CYCLIST’ “Let’s Look Out For Each Other”. In August this year the Prime Minister announced cycling will be considered at the design stage of all new trunk road schemes which, where possible, will be ‘cycle-proofed’ so they can be navigated confidently by the average cyclist.
For more information click here.
Cycling: Essex
27th November
Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of minor and major cycling injuries in (a) Essex and (b) Chelmsford constituency.
Mr Goodwill: Table RAS30043 of ‘Reported Road Casualties: Great Britain’, available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239774/ras30043.xls
Provides the number of pedal cycle casualties by severity (fatalities, casualties killed or seriously injured, and all casualties) in reported road accidents for each local authority in England for 2010 to 2012. The table shows there were 263 casualties and three fatalities in Essex in 2012. Statistics for the Chelmsford constituency show 23 casualties in 2012, with no fatalities, a reduction from 41 casualties in 2011. Statistics for reported road casualties in 2013 will be available in June 2014.
For further information on the debate click here.
Cycling: Greater London
27th November
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of safety for cyclists in (a) East London and (b) elsewhere in London.
Mr Goodwill: Table RAS30043 of “Reported Road Casualties: Great Britain”, available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239774/ras30043.xls
provides the number of pedal cycle casualties by severity (fatalities, casualties killed or seriously injured, and all casualties) in reported road accidents for each local authority in England for 2010 to 2012.
The table, with figures broken down by London borough, shows that five of the 14 fatalities in London in 2012 were in East London boroughs. Statistics for reported road casualties in 2013 will be available in June 2014.
Cycling in London is growing significantly, with cycling on the Capital’s main roads having almost tripled in the last decade. However, the number of cyclists killed on London’s roads fell during 2012, compared to 2011 (from 16 to 14 cyclist fatalities). Looking over the longer term, the number of cyclists killed on London’s roads in the last five years was 17% lower than in the previous five years.
For more information on this debate, click here.
Cycling: Safety
27th November
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of minor and major cycling injuries.
Mr Goodwill: The safety of cyclists is very important to the Government and it has committed £278 million of funding directly for cycling; along with £535 million investment from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund on projects which include cycling. This funding supports local authorities across England to deliver schemes to promote and improve safe cycling. Included in the funding is £35 million that delivers junction improvements to improve the safety of cyclists; along with the continued support of Bikeablity cycle training that aims to improve cyclists’ road sense and safety. In October we launched our first paid-for THINK! Campaign: THINK CYCLIST’ “Let’s Look Out For Each Other”.
For more information, click here.
Cycling: Accidents
26th November
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what benchmarking statistics his Department holds on (a) traffic accidents and (b) related injuries in pedestrianised town centre areas where there are (i) discrete cycling lanes and (ii) co-mingling of cycles and pedestrians.
Mr Goodwill: The Department collects statistics on reported personal injury road accidents that occur on public highways. No information is collected on damage only accidents. The statistics collected are published in an annual report entitled ‘Reported Road Casualties Great Britain’, a copy of said publication has been deposited in the Libraries of the House.
Further information available here.
Cycling: Accidents
25th November
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources his Department has allocated to reducing the number of cyclists being killed on the roads.
Mr Robert Goodwill: The safety of all cyclists is important to the Government, that’s why we have invested more in cycling than previous governments. The Department will have spent £278 million directly on cycling in the five years 2010-11 to 2014-15. For example, the Department has allocated £35 million for cycle safety projects at junctions. In addition £535 million has been invested through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) on projects involving cycling. This funding has gone to support cycle infrastructure and training to improve conditions and safety for cyclists.
The Government, through the reduction of bureaucracy and supporting changes in regulations, has made it easier for local authorities to implement 20 mph zones, “Trixi” mirrors and highway measures to support cycle safety. In addition we are working with local authorities and Transport for London on trialling innovative schemes to improve cycle safety at junctions, as well as supporting the European Union to improve lorry design standards.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what level of detail his Department holds information on the causes of fatal cycle incidents.
Mr Goodwill: Statistical data on reported road traffic accidents do not include information about who or what caused the accident. This information would only be known following a detailed accident investigation. However, a police officer may choose between one and six different factors that they felt contributed to the accident. The contributory factors reflect the reporting officer’s opinion at the time of reporting and are not necessarily the result of extensive investigation. Moreover it is recognised that subsequent enquires could lead to the reporting officer changing their opinion. It is important to note where some factors may have contributed to an accident it may be difficult for a police officer attending the scene after the accident has occurred to identify these factors.
The Department has published tables on contributory factors together with other statistics on reported road casualties in Great Britain at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-accidents-and-safety-statistics
For further information on the debate along with a table of the 10 most commonly occurring contributory factors for fatal accidents involving at least one pedal cyclist, please click here
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cycling fatalities were determined to have been caused by (a) an HGV, (b) a bus, (c) a car and (d) an error by the cyclist in the last five years.
Mr Goodwill: The Department does not collect information explicitly on who or what caused road traffic accidents nor does it attribute any blame to drivers or riders for accidents. The Department collects information on contributory factors in accidents which are aimed at providing insight into why and how road accidents occur. The contributory factors reflect the reporting officer’s opinion at the time of reporting and are not necessarily the result of extensive investigation. Moreover it is recognised that subsequent inquires could lead to the reporting officer changing their opinion. It is important to note where some factors may have contributed to a cause of an accident it may be difficult for a police officer attending the scene after the accident has occurred to identify these factors.
For further information please click here.
