To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ask the European Commission for a clear ruling on whether member states may make retro-reflective markings mandatory on newly registered heavy goods vehicles in the UK before the date of 10 October 2009 stipulated in the 03 series of amendments to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 48. (144913)

There are no plans to do so. Work is already in hand to bring in the retro-reflective tape requirement by amending Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations in time for the internationally-agreed 10 October 2009 date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the (a) European Commission and (b) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on making retro-reflective markings mandatory on newly registered heavy goods vehicles in the UK before the date of 10 October 2009 stipulated in the 03 series of amendments to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 48. (144914)

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to make retro-reflective markings mandatory on all newly registered heavy goods vehicles before 10 October 2009 if the European Commission rules that member states are free to do so. (145108)

We are working to implement the retro-reflective tape requirement via amendment to Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations by 10 October 2009 in accordance with international agreement. It is doubtful that any ruling by the European Commission would materially advance our national implementation, due to the timescales needed to make amending regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average journey of (a) three and a half and (b) 12 tonne trucks on (i) motorways and (ii) A roads in England was in the last period for which figures are available. (145124)

Average length of trip per annum by company owned vehicles not exceeding three and a half tonnes gross plated weight is published in Table 4.1 of Road Freight Statistics 2005.

Data on the average length of haul by goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are published in Table 1.15 of Road Freight Statistics 2005.

Data on the exact weights of 3.5 tonnes and 12 tonnes are not available separately because of the small survey sample sizes.

Printed copies of the publication are available in the House Library. It is also available on the Department for Transport’s website at the following link:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/freight/goodsbyroad/