Endangered Species - Possible Extinction of a Rare Breed?

[Sheila]

MAG continues its campaign on the motorcycle aspects of the 3rd European Driving Licence Directive by taking to the streets with a National Demo in conjunction with the West Midlands "Brum Demo" and Heart of England Rally on Saturday 1st July in Birmingham.

The demo is designed to show a display of our deep feelings, commitment and determination to ensure that we are here to celebrate motorcycles in the future.

Full details of Demo and Campaign at www.network.mag-uk.org

To reiterate the previous information on the directive - if it comes into effect, within five years motorcyclists could be heading towards the fate of the extinction of an "Endangered Species".

We are faced with a package that threatens the very future of motorcycle riding in this country. Potential young riders will be turned off and turned away from motorcycling and will migrate to cars with all the extra congestion that will cause.

The directive will do nothing to improve the safety for existing riders or those new riders who have the determination and tenacity to persist in eventually gaining a full licence under the Third Driving Licence Directive regime.

At the end of March 2006 the European Parliament's Council of Ministers agreed a "common position" on the Third Driving Licence Directive, which means that it could be passed into law and the finalised legislation picked through by the UK Government: [1]

· The minimum age for riding a light motorcycle (A1) licence not over 125cc/11kw will be 16 (can be raised to 17 or 18)

· The minimum age for riding motorcycles (A2) licence not exceeding 35kw will be 18 (If minimum age for category A1 Licence is at 17 or 18 years. The
minimum age for category A2 will be 19 or 20 years).

· For progressive access, there will be rigid two year steps between categories

· Riders will be required to take either a minimum number of hours of training or a practical motorcycle test to progress from each category.

· For Direct Access, where riders can train and test to qualify for over 35kw motorcycles, the minimum age will rise from 21 to 24 - with a possible increase in
age restriction by other countries in the EU.

Governments could introduce a minimum age of 18 to start riding a moped

The motorcycle part of the Third European Driving Licence Directive has been thrust upon us in an attempt to cut EU (European Union) road fatalities in half by the year 2010 i.e. a reduction of 20,000 deaths.

The Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of transport Jacques Barrot stated that there was an increase of 5.6% in casualties 'caused' by motorcyclists. This statement is a blatantly false, but it sets the agenda by placing all the blame for motorcycle accidents on riders.

The data used to support the EU Commission's argument, are just plain wrong and misrepresent the facts.[2] Any reduction of motorcycle casualties will simply be by reducing the number of motorcycle riders, rather than tackling the actual causes of the majority of casualties which are associated with car drivers.

FEMA has put forward pro safety proposals that embrace issues such as road construction and maintenance; motorcycle–friendly road infrastructure and in particular motorcycle–friendly roadside safety barriers [3]; the issue of inattention and the perception of motorcyclists by car drivers, with specific reference to right of way accidents.

It is MAG’s opinion that the emphasis should be on other vehicle drivers yet the directive does not address car drivers via the licensing regime for these vehicles. [4]

Bare Bones of the Campaign
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Before the Second Reading in the European Parliament, which may be in September this year we are asking for amendments to the directive:

At the FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations) meeting in May, we agreed to take the stance that we would request the complete removal of all reference to motorcycle testing in the Third Driving Licence Directive. To refer back to the Second Driving Licence Directive with consideration of data collated by MAG UK, the other National Organisations in FEMA and the results of accident causation surveys carried out in Europe.

Our fall back amendments will be:

The removal of the training or testing between the A1 and A2 Licence categories.

Although the directive provides some flexibility on how training and testing can be interpreted by Member States in the EU, this flexibility can accommodate a stringent interpretation for training, between licence categories’ to require at least 7 hours of theory followed by a short practical assessment in traffic.

The testing and training requirements for progressive access are excessive as riders could face four full tests between the age of 16 and 22.

Not withstanding the 3rd Directive timetabled for 2012 the Second Directive will be implemented in 2008. This includes a two part test, one part conducted off road with a brake and swerve manoeuvre, a kind of super CBT. This could be the test used between licence categories. Riders could be the most tested of vehicle drivers in the UK discouraging many from taking up riding.

What the directive should deliver in terms of training is a structured, relevant and cost-effective basic training to give young and novice riders the essential skills and knowledge capable of safely operating a motorcycle in normal traffic situations on public roads.

The Directive:

· Does not encourage Progressive Access

· Does not enhance Road Safety

· Does not improve Initial Rider Training

· Does not Harmonize Motorcycle Licences

· Does not identify interpretation of practical test or training between licence categories

The Directive:

· Is a financial barrier to access motorcycling

· Is based on data that is misleading and biased

· Ignores the expert opinions of motorcyclists and their representatives.

Our thanks to everyone who has lobbied their MP and MEP using the dedicated MAG campaign website, (this can be accessed at www.mag-uk.org) and also signed the petition. If you haven’t already done so please take a few moments to sign the on line petition, so that we can present this to the legislators here and in Europe.

At present we are trawling through the replies from the politicians’ and Transport Minister to answer their questions and repudiate incorrect statements. We will produce a file to assist you to respond to replies that you may receive.

Please plan to:

a) join us on the National Demo, Sat 1st July 2006 Birmingham

b) lobby your MP and MEP

c) Sign the on line MAG petition

d) Sign up a fellow motorcyclist as a MAG member

Now is the time for us to take responsibility for the future of motorcycling. As our colleague Theo from MAG Belgium said, "Politicians come and go, but we are here to stay". Let's make sure this happens.

Time is short and MAG needs you!

Sign Up to Defend Motorcycling! Take to the streets to stop this madness!

There should be a Demo Pack accompanying this issue of Network. Brief details for the Demo and the Heart of England rally are below and the full pack can be downloaded at www.network.mag-uk.org/dld/dld4.html

You can download the Demo poster as a PDF for printing from www.network.mag-uk.org/dld/magdemo2.pdf 243kb or www.network.mag-uk.org/dld/magdemo1.pdf 1.26mb. There is also an A5 version at www.network.mag-uk.org/dld/magdemoa5.doc 302kb

Brum Demo
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Saturday 1st JULY 2006 - 12pm for 1pm start.

Meet at the Rover Plant, Longbridge (Lickey Road) Birmingham B45 8XU - Off Junct 4 M5

Riding to Centenary Square Birmingham (near Broad Street) - Park up - Speeches in City Park, after Demo party Heart of England Rally Site.

Make a weekend of it at the Heart of England - 30th June 2nd July, Stoke Prior Sports and Country Club - rally details are below:

DEMO also leaves the rally site 11.00am for 11.30am.

The police will be in attendance to ensure the smooth running of the demo and to guide the demo to the finish point. MAG marshals will be there to guide you to the start point and to liaise with the police during the run.

Heart of England Rally
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30th June 2nd July, Stoke Prior Sports and Country Club, Weston Hall Road, Stoke Prior, Nr Bromsgrove, West Midlands B60 4AL

[Just off junction 5 of the M5] £10 in advance £12 o.t.g. tel 0870 7743543 or 07970 303528

S.A.E. to Eddie Lowe, 163, King George Close, Side Moor, Bromsgrove, West Midlands B61 8SN
https://west-midlands-region.mag-uk.org

DEMO also leaves the rally site 11.00am for 11.30am

[1] https://www.network.mag-uk.org/dld/DLDAccessChartMay06.pdf

[2] https://www.fema.kaalium.com/docs/FEMA_position_midtermrev_RSAP.pdf

[3] https://www.fema.kaalium.com/crashbarrier2005/index.html
[4] https://www.network.mag-uk.org/smidsy/How%20Close%20is%20Too%20Close.pdf

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