Written question asked by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Monday, 11 December 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 December 2006. It was answered by Stephen Ladyman (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 December 2006 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Non-slip Road Surfaces

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department gives to the (a) Highways Agency and (b) highway authorities on the use of non-slip road surfaces to minimise risks to motorcycles.

Answer: [holding answer 18 December 2006]: The Highways Agency has developed its own guidance on the use of non-slip road surfaces, which is published in the Agency’s Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (standard HD 36, ‘Surfacing Materials for New and Maintenance Construction’) and the Specification for Highway Works (series 900). The guidance is aimed at minimising risks for all road users and does not segregate needs by vehicle types.Local highway authorities set their own highways condition standards. ‘Well-maintained Highways’(TSO, 2005), the code of practice for highways maintenance management, reminds local authorities that the maintenance of adequate levels of skidding resistance is of particular importance for riders of motorcycles and encourages authorities to publish their skid resistance strategies.

Secondary information