Recent Parliamentary Questions and Answers from the House of Commons.
January 2017 Update.
Driving under the Influence
Asked by Fiona Bruce : 13 January 2017
Driving under Influence 59933
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the AA, RAC, RAC Foundation, Institute of Advanced Motoring, Police Federation, Fire Brigades Union and Royal College of Emergency Medicine on introducing a lower drink-driving limit in England and Wales as an effective and cost effective way of reducing road deaths; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
My officials have met with these groups and heard their rationale for supporting a lower drink driving limit. However, the Government believes that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.
A fundamental review on drink and drug driving was commissioned in 2009. My Hon Friend can read the coalition government’s response here, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-governments-response-to-the-reports-by-sir-peter-north-cbe-qc-and-the-transport-select-committee-on-drink-and-drug-driving, with which this Government agrees.
Asked by Fiona Bruce : 13 January 2017
Driving under Influence 59938
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent report by Public Health England on the significant increased risk of a crash occurring when a driver has above 40mg alcohol per 100ml blood.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
My officials have met with these groups and heard their rationale for supporting a lower drink driving limit. However, the Government believes that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.
A fundamental review on drink and drug driving was commissioned in 2009. My Hon Friend can read the coalition government’s response here, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-governments-response-to-the-reports-by-sir-peter-north-cbe-qc-and-the-transport-select-committee-on-drink-and-drug-driving, with which this Government agrees.
Local Roads
Asked by Tim Farron : 10 January 2017
Cycling: Accidents 59267
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of deaths and serious injuries of cyclists that were attributable to poorly maintained local roads in the last two years.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
There were 99 pedal cyclist KSIs (killed or seriously injured casualties) in reported road accidents allocated the contributory factor “Poor or Defective road surface” on local roads (for England) or all non-motorway roads (for Scotland and Wales) from 2014 to 2015. A local road has been defined as a road maintained by the local authority. The following table shows the totals for each of the separate years, by road class:
| GB | A1 | B | Other2 | Total |
| 2014 | 16 | 8 | 29 | 53 |
| 2015 | 11 | 5 | 30 | 46 |
| Total | 27 | 13 | 59 | 99 |
1 Includes A roads maintained by Transport Scotland and the Welsh Government.
2 Includes C and unclassified roads.
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 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. Only around 70-80 per cent of accidents a year are attended by police officers and have valid contributory factor information.
Figures for 2016 will be available from June 2017.
Airline Safety
Asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton : 11 January 2017
Aviation: Firearms HL4590
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to ensure that airline passengers arriving at or departing from UK airports are not allowed to carry guns or ammunition either in the passenger cabin or in checked hold baggage; and whether they will provide warnings to airline passengers travelling to or from those states in the US where the carrying of guns and ammunition in passenger planes is now permitted.
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Under existing (international) firearm and safety regulations, airlines may carry unloaded guns and a limited amount of ammunition in hold baggage where persons are holding these lawfully. In the UK, there are strict controls on how such items are notified to the air carrier, screened and placed in an aircraft hold leaving the UK and on collecting such items on entry to the UK. Passengers are prohibited from carrying firearms and ammunition in the cabin of an aircraft; and passengers and their cabin baggage are screened for such items prior to departure.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office US travel advice was updated on 7 January in light of the Fort Lauderdale incident to advise travellers to follow local procedures.
We keep our aviation security measures under constant review.
20mph Zones
Asked by Caroline Lucas : 09 January 2017
Speed Limits: Research 59048
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to publish the findings of research commissioned by his Department into the effects of 20 mph speed zones.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
The research is due to be completed at the end of 2017 and we expect to publish the findings early next year.
Cycling Safety
Asked by Ian Austin : 19 December 2016
Cycling 58192
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to improve safety for cyclists since his appointment.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
The Government is fully committed to creating a safe environment for all road users, and in particular vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
In September we launched a cycle safety campaign targeting both cyclists and lorry drivers to raise awareness of the dangers of being alongside a lorry turning left. The campaign ran in London and Manchester – cities with the highest number of cyclist fatalities involving a lorry.
We are also working on wider cyclist safety in other ways, including changes to vehicle design, mandatory training for HGV drivers and optional training for cyclists, including extending the Bikeability programme of cycle training. Bikeability provides trainees with riding skills suited to the road, but also explains the importance of obeying the Highway Code, the correct use of safety equipment, and sharing the road with other people.
Asked by Ian Austin : 20 December 2016
Cycling: Safety 58352
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in protecting cyclists.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
No assessment has been made.
Road Safety
Asked by Jim Fitzpatrick : 05 December 2016
Motor Vehicles: Safety 56093
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the British Road Safety Statement, published in December 2015, what progress has been made on the revision of government buying guidelines to promote the uptake of procuring safer vehicles.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport (DfT) is working with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) – who own the Government Buying Standards (GBS) for vehicle procurement – on an update that will promote the purchase of safer and cleaner vehicles where appropriate. New standards are expected by 2017.
Asked by Jim Fitzpatrick : 05 December 2016
Cabinet Office
Official Cars 56094
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many safer vehicles have been procured by each government department since the adoption of the Road Safety Statement.
Answered by: Ben Gummer
The high-level vehicle data that is held centrally does not include the safety specific standard equipment or the optional safety related extras that may have been added. Consequently, we are unable to provide the information required.
The Crown Commercial Service is committed to supporting the British Road Safety Statement and has recently put in place a Vehicle Telematics Framework to support public sector fleets in addressing driver behaviour and adopting safer driving policies.
Asked by Jim Fitzpatrick : 22 November 2016
Department for Transport
Roads: Safety 54218
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on implementing the conclusions of Working Together to Build a Safer Road System, published December 2015; if he will make it his policy to issue an annual statement; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by: Andrew Jones
The Government, and its road safety partners, are making excellent progress in delivering the Road Safety Statement. Highlights include: laying legislation to implement much tougher penalties for drivers using a hand held mobile phone; a £1m drug-driving enforcement grant to police forces in England and Wales; £50m of Bikeability funding; piloting a new practical driving test and developing the hazard perception test. We intend to publish a progress report towards the end of 2017.
