Roads: Accidents

Mr. Waterson
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many road traffic accidents occurred in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each year since 1997;

(2) how many accident blackspots have been identified in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex; and what steps his Department has undertaken to reduce the number of accidents in such locations.

Dr. Ladyman
The number of reported personal injury road accidents in Eastbourne and East Sussex (excluding Brighton and Hove) in each year since 1997 is given in the table.

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|                                                    |Eastbourne|East Sussex1|
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|1997                                                |279       |1,989       |
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|1998                                                |338       |2,040       |
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|1999                                                |335       |1,991       |
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|2000                                                |320       |1,941       |
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|2001                                                |308       |1,737       |
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|2002                                                |356       |1,823       |
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|2003                                                |343       |1,811       |
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|2004                                                |309       |1,720       |
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|2005                                                |306       |1,703       |
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|1 Includes Eastbourne but excludes Brighton and Hove|          |            |
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There is no standard definition for an accident blackspot. The assessment of local accident blackspots is a matter for the relevant local highway authorities.