I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley) on her choice of this important and topical subject. It is important because cycling is a growth area, and topical because this is national bike week. I was pleased to receive the handsome chain wheel, to which my hon. Friend referred, and was sorry not to be able to go to receive it in person. I hope that we shall all continue to do what we can to ensure that safe cycling is well promoted.

The debate gives me the opportunity to consider the cycle content of the Highway Code. I must tell my hon. Friend that the Highway Code is but a part of the wide range of measures and advice that can be given. First, let me set out some of the background to our approach to cycling and cycle provision. Cycling has always been popular with the young. In recent years, it has become more popular with adults. I am told that bike sales now outnumber car sales. The reasons are clear. Cycling is a cheap, personal and healthy way to travel. For many local journeys, it can be the quickest. On those grounds alone, I am glad to see the increase in cycling popularity

However, there is a price. As cycling becomes more popular, so the accident toll increases. It is a major road safety problem. My hon. Friend drew attention to the depressing casualty figures. The numbers of those killed have remained at similar levels for some years, but injuries are increasing. As my hon. Friend said, injury figures are under-reported. That is why the Transport and Road Research Laboratory is carrying out a hospital-based study of cycle accidents for the Department. My hon. Friend quoted from the 1946 Highway Code. I noted with concern that in that year more than 800 cyclists were killed. We must never reach that level again.

There is no magic way to reduce cycling casualties. We are all involved in it. The Government's role is clear. We should set the framework for safer cycling, and provide information, help and advice to local authorities in developing their policies for cyclists. My starting point is the cycling policy statement in 1982. Since then, we have made good progress, including legislation for cycle tracks, regulations on cycle standards and new signs for cyclists. My Department considers the provision of cycle facilities on trunk roads each time it considers a trunk road scheme. There are cycling officers in all the regional offices, and we encourage local authorities to provide cycle facilities on their roads. There is a programme of innovative local schemes.

My hon. Friend paid tribute to last year's successful national publicity campaign. I also want to see cycleway encouraged further; that is why I am considering it with my right hon Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. The more young people who are properly trained as cyclists, the safer they will be as adult cyclists.

We know that there is still much more to be done. I was delighted to host the recent conference on "Ways to Safer Cycling". There we reviewed progress and considered possibilities for the future. I hope that the report on the conference will stimulate further discussion. What I said then still applies. We need more initiatives. My Department has given the lead, but, as cycling is a local activity, so the local authorities will wish to develop new initiatives.

But we need ingenuity, too. Many of the 21 innovatory cycling schemes now being introduced show great ingenuity, and tackle the problems to which my hon. Friend referred, including provisions to cross busy roads, negotiate junctions and cope with roundabouts, and the shared use of cycle paths. They all tackle local problems with local solutions. I shall always remain ready to consider proposals for new schemes and new ideas that will improve cycling safety.

Beyond those more straightforward measures are the five cycle demonstration projects, which offer comprehensive provision of routes for cycling in urban areas. I am pleased to say that the first scheme will be officially opened tomorrow by the mayor of Stockton-on-Tees. Others will follow in Canterbury, Nottingham, Bedford and Exeter.

Although we are doing much more now than we used to, and much of what I have said offers better and safer means of travel for cyclists, we must see what more can be done. But at the end of the day, what is better and safer depends on better and safer behaviour by all road users. We cannot say, as some cyclists do, that motorists must take all the blame for cycle accidents; and we certainly cannot say, as some motorists do, "If only there were no cyclists." We must live together on our congested streets, and there must be more give and take, perhaps not only between cyclists and motorists but among all road users, whatever their vehicles, or even if they are on foot. That will not be achieved by Government alone. It depends on each of us as an individual road user.

We need to do more than update the Highway Code. I know that my hon. Friend fully recognises this. Tonight she put a case for an up-to-date Highway Code with clarity. I am aware of the revisions proposed by the Cyclists Touring Club.

I shall say a few words about the Highway Code. In recent years, it has been revised about every 10 years. On past performance, we would be due to make a revision around the end of the decade.

The code is addressed to all road users. My hon. Friend makes a plea for more references to motorists' responsibilities to cyclists. She is right to say that in past editions of the code, there have always been such references. Indeed, in the current edition there are more than in earlier editions, although I accept that cyclists did not get a picture to themselves.

There is also more detailed advice in the Department's manual "Driving", and a picture, and in the advice to motorists planning their driving test.

As I told my hon. Friend in reply to her question on Monday, I am now considering the timing of the next revision of the Highway Code. There are two new factors. The first is our new ability to update the legislative sections of the code on reprinting. This power was introduced in 1982 and amendments have been made four times already. The second is our review of road safety policy. This is going on at present and will reflect the views of the Select Committee on Transport. The review will be looking at all possible ways to improve road safety. We are paying particular attention to the needs of the most vulnerable road users—motor-cyclists, pedestrians and cyclists.

While the review is still in progress, I would not want to embark on a major revision of the code, but for the future we should perhaps be considering a different format for the code, as well as different content. Perhaps it is on the respective responsibilities of different road users for each other's safety that we should be placing more emphasis. I shall include my hon. Friend's suggestions in my future thinking. I hope that we shall begin work before long. There will then be extensive discussions and consultations before a new code is produced. I assure the House that it will be a full revision. This will take time, for it will need to reflect all aspects of road user behaviour in today's—and tomorrow's—environment.

The debate has centred not just on the cycling content of the Highway Code but on the progress that we are making towards safer cycling. I know and recognise that we still have along way to go, but I hope that my hon. Friend will recognise that the role of the Department is only part of the picture. I agree with her that there is a case for revising the Highway Code, but that too is only one part of the picture.

I have taken my hon. Friend's specific points on board. I assure her that these will be taken into account when we move forward in our planned revision of the whole code.

Valuable work is being done by all the organisations concerned with cycling, particularly the CTC, which is making other road users more conscious of the bike and the need to give it a wide berth when overtaking it. As a result of that teamwork, we shall have safer, and therefore more enjoyable, cycling.

Question put and agreed to.

Adjourned accordingly at nine minutes past Twelve midnight.