Roads: Accidents
Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have occurred in each police force area in the East of England since 1997. [7051]
Mike Penning: The number of reported personal injury road accidents in each police force area in the east of England Government office region since 1997 are shown in the following table:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100712/text/100712w0002.htm
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were injured in work-related road traffic accidents in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8021]
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were killed in work-related road traffic incidents in each year from 1997 to 2009. [8017]
Mike Penning: The following table shows the number of vehicle drivers/riders and pedestrians killed and injured in reported road accidents while travelling for work or involved in ‘on the road work’ in each year since 2005. It also shows the total number of casualties in road accidents involving a driver or rider travelling as part of work or a pedestrian injured in the course of ‘on the road’ work.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100712/text/100712w0002.htm
Tuesday 13 July 2010
Road Traffic Control
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) road humps and (b) other traffic calming measures as a means of reducing road traffic accidents; and if he will make a statement. [5588]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport has in the past carried out extensive road safety research covering a wide range of topics, including the development and evaluation of road humps and other traffic calming measures designed to reduce vehicle speeds and road accidents.
“Local Transport Note 1/07: Traffic Calming” summarises this research, including that into the effectiveness of road humps and traffic calming measures on accidents. It is available from the Department’s website at:
www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tpm/ltnotes/
Research has shown that reductions in speed will deliver safety benefits (for example a review undertaken for the Department)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme4/20mphzoneresearch.pdf
This research shows that the most reliable way of achieving lower traffic speeds in urban areas is through engineering, using approaches such as traffic calming or greater enforcement.
Roads: Accidents
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the monetary value of savings attributed to the prevention of road death and injury at monitored speed camera sites in each year since 2007. [4187]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport has not made any estimate of the value of savings attributed to the prevention of road death and injury at specific speed camera sites. However, the Department’s guidance does recommend that speed and collision data are collected by road safety partnerships and the contribution cameras make to casualty reduction monitored and reviewed, at least annually.
The Department has estimated that the camera sites included in the former national safety camera programme have together been saving approximately £400 million per year of casualty and accident costs since 2007. This estimate is based on the findings of the ‘National Safety Camera Programme: Four Year Evaluation Report’ (PA Consulting and University College London, December 2005), with some assumptions about how casualty savings have reduced since, for example due to reductions in casualty levels for other reasons. It includes savings at both speed and red light camera sites.
The Department’s latest estimates of the annual cost to the UK economy of road accidents are published in Reported Road Casualties Great Britain (RRCGB): 2008 Annual Report, on page 28, table 2c. Copies of the report have been deposited in the House Library and are also available at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/accidents/casualtiesgbar/
Speed Limits: Fines
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing the penalties applied to speeding offences. [4982]
Mike Penning: No assessment has been made about the merits of changing the penalty system for speeding. However, the Department keeps all its policies under review and will be considering a number of options to improve road safety. Any change to the penalty system for speeding would be subject to public consultation.
Speed Limits: Urban Areas
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish (a) a record of each meeting he has held with other Ministers in his Department and (b) each submission he has received from (i) other Ministers and (ii) officials in his Department on speed limits in urban areas. [6285]
Mr Philip Hammond: I have regular scheduled weekly meetings with my ministerial team as well as ad hoc discussions when required. In line with paragraph 2.1 of the Ministerial Code I am not prepared to publish records of these meetings or internal discussions and submissions.
DFT Ministers have had several meetings and received a number of submissions on speed policy.
Transport: Vehicle Testing
Questions asked by Lord Marlesford
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether obligations under vehicle testing regulations in the United Kingdom exceed those required by the relevant European Union directives; and whether they have considered the equivalent regulations in other European Union member states.[HL1212]
Earl Attlee: EU rules require cars and light goods vehicles to be tested no later than four years after first registration and thereafter at least every two years. In the United Kingdom, the first test is at three years old and thereafter annually. There are no other significant differences between the testing requirements under EU and domestic law.
The Government always take into account equivalent legislation in other European member states whenever changes to the roadworthiness testing schemes are being considered.
Asked by Lord Marlesford
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the costs and benefits of the requirement for new vehicles to be tested after three years and annually thereafter.[HL969]
Earl Attlee: Yes, we intend to look at the issue of MoT test frequencies later this year.
Wednesday 14 July 2010
Cycling: Safety
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the budget was of Cycle England in each of the last five years; and how much of that budget was spent on encouraging cyclists to wear cycle helmets. [7771]
Norman Baker [holding answer 12 July 2010]: Cycling England was created in March 2005 with an annual budget of £5 million (2005-06). That was subsequently increased to £10 million for 2006-07 and in 2007-08 the budget was further increased to £20 million, rising to £60 million in 2009-10. For 2010-11 the budget was reduced from £60 million to £58 million by the last Administration.
There is no specific Cycling England programme to encourage cycle helmet wearing. However a number of programmes funded by Cycling England give advice on cycle helmet wearing, such as Bikeability training.
Cycling: Schools
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to increase provision of cycling training in schools. [4983]
Norman Baker: The delivery of cycle training in schools rests with local highway authorities. To assist increased provision of cycle training in England, the Department for Transport has awarded grants to local authorities in 2010-11 for “Bikeability” training of just over £6 million. We are also providing £5 million to schools through School Sports Partnerships in England to provide further Bikeability training opportunities. £500,000 is also available in 2010-11 to provide bursary grants for training new instructors (£300 bursary per trainer) and assistant instructors (£150 bursary per trainer) to help meet the increased demand for Bikeability training.
Future Government funding for cycle training will be considered as part of the current spending review.
Driving: Safety
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of people who drive (a) while using a mobile telephone, (b) without wearing a seat belt, (c) while disqualified and (d) without insurance; and if he will make a statement. [5440]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport monitors the number of drivers who are convicted each year of these offences and works with the police and other Government Departments on the most effective enforcement of road traffic law. If the evidence suggests it is necessary, the Department will consider taking additional measures to achieve complaint driver behaviour.
Speed Limits: Fines
Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines for speeding offences have been (a) issued by each police force in the East of England region in each year since 1997 and (b) how many such fines have been paid by residents of Norwich South constituency in each such year. [7052]
Nick Herbert: Data showing the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by police in the East of England region from 1997 to 2008 (latest available), broken down by police force area, are provided in table A.
Additionally, data on the number of court fines for speeding, provided by the Ministry of Justice, are provided in table B.
The data on fines reported to the Home Office and Ministry of Justice do not include information on the
persons paying the fines; therefore it is not possible to identify the number of fines paid by residents of the Norwich South constituency.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100714/text/100714w0002.htm#10071446000022
Thursday 15 July 2010
Speed Limits: Urban Areas
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish each representation he has received on his policy on the speed limit in urban areas. [5867]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport has received no representations relating to the urban speed limit. All speed limits are kept under constant review to ensure they remain appropriate. There are no current plans to change the default urban 30 mph speed limit. To do so would have significant resource implications and place additional burdens on local authorities. Local authorities already have the power to implement 20 mph limits and zones where they decide it is appropriate.
