Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Industrial Strategy, whether he has plans to promote the adoption of the latest sensing Autonomous Emergency Braking systems to support advances in the technology sector.
Answered by Jesse Norman
New sensor technology, together with advances in system software, mean that a new generation of Advanced Emergency Braking Systems have the potential to have a positive effect on road casualties.
Through its support for a dynamic rating system in EuroNCAP, the UK Government has encouraged the uptake of AEBS and other new technologies by vehicle manufacturers who seek the highest safety ratings for their products. The UK is also an active participant in UN ECE consideration of proposals to require AEBS to be fitted to all new passenger cars and vans.
More widely, the Government is investing £150m into Collaborative Research and Development and Feasibility Study projects, including a range of high profile public trials and demonstrations of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, and related technologies and business models.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the (a) known and (b) estimated safety benefits to vulnerable road users including (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists and (c) motorised two wheelers of fitting (i) cars, (ii) vans and (iii) lorries fitted with the latest sensing Autonomous Emergency Braking.
Answered by Jesse Norman
UK casualty data regarding pedestrians and cyclists were used in the European project, “Assessment methodologies for forward looking Integrated Pedestrian and further extension to Cyclists Safety Systems”(AsPeCSS - 2014). It estimated that first generation AEBS could reduce pedestrian fatalities by 6% and serious injuries by 4% when assessed against a baseline of no AEBS. Estimates for second generation systems, with greater pedestrian recognition capability, indicated a reduction of fatal and serious injuries of 14% and 9% respectively.
The capability of AEBS to reduce cycle casualties was assessed but, due to the less mature state of the technology, the benefits could not be quantified in such clear terms.
This study does not provide a breakdown by casualty and by vehicle type.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the main elements are in the cost-benefit analysis conducted on alternative proposals for the A27 road in and around Worthing.
Answered by John Hayes
The main elements in the cost-benefit analysis that Highways England are conducting on alternative proposals for the A27 road in and around Worthing, are the: a) costs (constructions costs, land costs, preparation costs, supervision costs, maintenance costs), b) benefits (travel time, vehicle operating costs, accidents impacts, construction delay, maintenance delay, changes in indirect taxation, reliability) and c) environmental impacts, such as CO2 emissions, air quality, noise, etc.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make available online the 1996-97 conclusions of the inspector's report stemming from the inquiry on the A27 road proposals for Worthing and District.
Answered by John Hayes
I understand that the conclusion of the Inspector’s report would not have been placed online as a matter of course back in 1996/97. Highways England will investigate to see if the document is still held. If it is located and it is still relevant, then it will be published on the A27 road project website.