Cycling: Safety Measures

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of cycle helmet wearing rates; and if she will make a statement. (156460)

The findings of surveys of helmet wearing rates on major and minor built up roads from 1994 to 2004 and 1999 to 2004 are shown in the following tables.

*Table 1: Cycle helmet wearing rates on major built up roads 1994 to 2004*
Percentage
	1994	1996	1999	2002	2004
Male
Under 16	16.0	13.3	12.7	12.3	10.8
16 years and over	15.5	16.7	22.2	25.2	28.7

Female
Under 16	21.9	17.6	20.9	24.4	26.3
16 years and over	17.0	17.5	22.2	27.0	29.7

All
Under 16	17.6	14.4	15.0	15.3	14.1
16 years and over	15.9	17.0	22.2	25.7	29.0

*Table 2: Cycle helmet wearing rates on minor built up roads 1999-2004*
Percentage
	1999	2002	2004
All cyclists	8.2	9.5	9.6
Males	8.2	9.2	9.0
Females	8.1	10.1	12.5
All under 16	9.7	6.5	6.4
All 16 and over	7.4	10.9	11.3

The 2006 survey of cycle helmet wearing rates will be published later this year.

Volume 464: debated on Monday 8 October 2007