To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will commission research to assess how police, prosecutors and the courts respond to alleged cases of bad driving where cyclists are killed and seriously injured.[HL1624]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will commission research to assess how police, prosecutors and the courts respond to alleged cases of bad driving where cyclists are killed and seriously injured.[HL1624]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review their guidance on cycle-friendly planning and design, in conjunction with local authorities and other partners, to ensure that opportunities to improve cycling conditions are incorporated wherever possible into highways, traffic, planning schemes and all planned road maintenance work.[HL1582]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review their guidance on cycle-friendly planning and design, in conjunction with local authorities and other partners, to ensure that opportunities to improve cycling conditions are incorporated wherever possible into highways, traffic, planning schemes and all planned road maintenance work.[HL1582]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to allocate funding for the Highways Agency to initiate a programme to improve the convenience and safety of cycle movement along and across the Agency’s road network.[HL1584]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to allocate funding for the Highways Agency to initiate a programme to improve the convenience and safety of cycle movement along and across the Agency’s road network.[HL1584]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take into account the exceptional dividend received by Macquarrie Infrastructure Group after refinancing the M6 toll road project in 2006 when negotiating with that company over its obligation to part-fund the M6 to M54 link road.[HL1437]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take into account the exceptional dividend received by Macquarrie Infrastructure Group after refinancing the M6 toll road project in 2006 when negotiating with that company over its obligation to part-fund the M6 to M54 link road.[HL1437]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost of repairing damage done to roads, railway property and to waterways by badgers in the last five years.[HL1202]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost of repairing damage done to roads, railway property and to waterways by badgers in the last five years.[HL1202]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve road safety in the United Kingdom.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve road safety in the United Kingdom.

My Lords, we are taking forward the measures set out in the Strategic Framework for Road Safety. Parliament has approved a new drug-driving offence and we will consult on the relevant limits shortly. We intend to publish a Green Paper on young

drivers later this year. Additionally, subject to parliamentary approval, we will introduce fixed penalties for careless driving such as poor lane discipline and tailgating.

My Lords, we are taking forward the measures set out in the Strategic Framework for Road Safety. Parliament has approved a new drug-driving offence and we will consult on the relevant limits shortly. We intend to publish a Green Paper on young

drivers later this year. Additionally, subject to parliamentary approval, we will introduce fixed penalties for careless driving such as poor lane discipline and tailgating.

My Lords, I am pleased to say that, at last, the Home Office has approved the drug testing equipment which will enable the police to move on to requiring a blood sample to be given. This is in accordance with recommendations from the North report. The Government are extremely concerned about cycle safety. We are pleased to see the increase in the amount of cycling taking place. However, the difficulty is that we are seeing an increase in the number of casualties and we do not fully understand why that should be. There is an increase because of the rise in the number of cyclists and the amount of cycling, but the increase in casualties is still too much and we are working hard on it.

My Lords, I am pleased to say that, at last, the Home Office has approved the drug testing equipment which will enable the police to move on to requiring a blood sample to be given. This is in accordance with recommendations from the North report. The Government are extremely concerned about cycle safety. We are pleased to see the increase in the amount of cycling taking place. However, the difficulty is that we are seeing an increase in the number of casualties and we do not fully understand why that should be. There is an increase because of the rise in the number of cyclists and the amount of cycling, but the increase in casualties is still too much and we are working hard on it.

My Lords, I do not think the noble Lord misses much at all. We have recently launched a Think Cyclist safety campaign and have made £35 million available to tackle dangerous junctions for cyclists across the country. The £35 million is part of the additional £107 million of investment in cycling that the Government have announced since February last year.

My Lords, I do not think the noble Lord misses much at all. We have recently launched a Think Cyclist safety campaign and have made £35 million available to tackle dangerous junctions for cyclists across the country. The £35 million is part of the additional £107 million of investment in cycling that the Government have announced since February last year.

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Colwyn said, this is quite a wide-ranging Question. I am afraid that I am not aware of that particular difficulty. However, I shall write to my noble friend about it.

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Colwyn said, this is quite a wide-ranging Question. I am afraid that I am not aware of that particular difficulty. However, I shall write to my noble friend about it.

My Lords, the department has made it simpler for councils to put in 20 miles per hour zones and limits and to install so-called Trixi mirrors to improve the visibility of cyclists at junctions. One of the problems is that sometimes a lorry driver cannot see a cyclist. I do not think that the problems with cyclists in London involve foreign trucks. There are issues with left-hand drive trucks causing accidents, particularly on motorways, but I have not been told that they cause problems for cyclists.

My Lords, the department has made it simpler for councils to put in 20 miles per hour zones and limits and to install so-called Trixi mirrors to improve the visibility of cyclists at junctions. One of the problems is that sometimes a lorry driver cannot see a cyclist. I do not think that the problems with cyclists in London involve foreign trucks. There are issues with left-hand drive trucks causing accidents, particularly on motorways, but I have not been told that they cause problems for cyclists.

My Lords, there is the Bikeability programme, the full details of which I do not have before me. The difficulty with a compulsory scheme is that it would probably have a negative effect on cycling. As the benefits of cycling are so great and far exceed the risks, we would not want to go down that route.

My Lords, there is the Bikeability programme, the full details of which I do not have before me. The difficulty with a compulsory scheme is that it would probably have a negative effect on cycling. As the benefits of cycling are so great and far exceed the risks, we would not want to go down that route.

My Lords, I am afraid I do not know the answer, but I know that it is a matter of great interest to your Lordships. It is for local police forces to decide how they police cycling offences.

My Lords, I am afraid I do not know the answer, but I know that it is a matter of great interest to your Lordships. It is for local police forces to decide how they police cycling offences.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is (1) the estimated cost, and (2) the length, of each of the 18 road schemes announced in October 2010. [HL702]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is (1) the estimated cost, and (2) the length, of each of the 18 road schemes announced in October 2010. [HL702]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the funding allocated to the Highways Agency and local authorities for maintenance of the motorway and trunk road network and highways has been subsequently awarded to the City of Liverpool in each of the last five years; and to what purpose. [HL688]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the funding allocated to the Highways Agency and local authorities for maintenance of the motorway and trunk road network and highways has been subsequently awarded to the City of Liverpool in each of the last five years; and to what purpose. [HL688]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the costs of upgrading bridge structures as a result of the increase in maximum weight limits for heavy goods vehicles from 32.5 tonnes to 38 tonnes, 40 tonnes and 44 tonnes on (1) the strategic road network, and (2) local authority managed roads....

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the costs of upgrading bridge structures as a result of the increase in maximum weight limits for heavy goods vehicles from 32.5 tonnes to 38 tonnes, 40 tonnes and 44 tonnes on (1) the strategic road network, and (2) local authority managed roads....

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the re-introduction of single/double summer time will reduce road deaths; and whether they will publish the road casualty statistics, including date and time, from the 1968-71 daylight saving experiment to inform debate on the matter.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the re-introduction of single/double summer time will reduce road deaths; and whether they will publish the road casualty statistics, including date and time, from the 1968-71 daylight saving experiment to inform debate on the matter.

My Lords, we estimate that 54 deaths and 185 serious casualties would be avoided annually across Great Britain if single/double summer time were adopted. However, this would have a much wider effect on the economy and society, which must also be taken into account. The Department for Transport does not hold road casualty statistics from before 1979. Officials are investigating whether other organisations hold the statistics. If they can be obtained, I will make them available.

My Lords, we estimate that 54 deaths and 185 serious casualties would be avoided annually across Great Britain if single/double summer time were adopted. However, this would have a much wider effect on the economy and society, which must also be taken into account. The Department for Transport does not hold road casualty statistics from before 1979. Officials are investigating whether other organisations hold the statistics. If they can be obtained, I will make them available.

My Lords, the department’s admission that there would be casualty savings is not new, but the available savings for each year as we reduce the overall number of casualties are only approximately one-third of the annual reduction in casualties that we expect. I would be delighted to have a debate in your Lordships’ House, but of course that is a matter for the usual channels.

My Lords, the department’s admission that there would be casualty savings is not new, but the available savings for each year as we reduce the overall number of casualties are only approximately one-third of the annual reduction in casualties that we expect. I would be delighted to have a debate in your Lordships’ House, but of course that is a matter for the usual channels.

My Lords, I look forward with bated breath when the noble Lord stands to see whether he will ask about something else. One has to be persistent, but whether the noble Lord will achieve his desired outcome I cannot say.

My Lords, I look forward with bated breath when the noble Lord stands to see whether he will ask about something else. One has to be persistent, but whether the noble Lord will achieve his desired outcome I cannot say.