3rd European Driving Licence Directive Demonstration Lobby

Lobby your MEP

In August we asked riders to lobby their MEPs, MP’s and Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for Transport regarding the 3rd European Driving Licence Directive.

A big thank you to all of you that lobbied on the directive.

The responses received and the ongoing compromise discussions in Europe have resulted in the riders’ rights community in the UK, MAG and the BMF organising a demonstration in support of Motor Cycle News in Brussels against the motorcycle part of the directive.

In our August lobby we said that at some stage, the motorcycle community will have to say to Europe “enough is enough”, no more compromise on our position and call for the removal of the motorcycle part of the directive, but the timing must be right.

We now consider that the time is right to call for the protest and request the complete withdrawal of the motorcycling part of the directive so that it can be discussed more fully with the motorcycling community in order to achieve an acceptable solution.

At present if the directive is passed through the European Parliament we will have six years to fight the possible gold plating of the directive by the UK government working in the confines of unacceptable compromises.

The Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) representatives in the meantime are continuing their work in Europe on the compromises to get the best deal within the directive.

However the UK government has advised us that, there might just be the tiniest possibility at the margins that some more flexibility might be obtained but this would be a very small possibility, and very much at the margins, the riders’ rights community in the UK does not hold out much hope.

The Second European Driving Licence Directive due to be implemented in 2008, is surrounded by its own issues, which will see the introduction of a two stage test, one part being “off road”, a super CBT test with a brake and swerve manoeuvre included at super test centres.

This Directive will not be given time in order to determine whether it actually improves road safety before implementation of the Third Directive.

The Third Directive in the name of improving motorcycle safety, targets young riders when accidents statistics clearly show that it is inexperience and not age is the safety issue.

MAG says, if Governments or non democratic institutions wish to introduce these regulations they should produce evidence justifying these proposals and not bring about extra and unnecessary regulation, in the name of safety.

European proposals will discourage motorcycling by placing further obstacles in the path of new riders in the name of harmonisation.

For British riders the main changes at present are:

• The minimum age for riding bikes over 125cc/11kW but less than 35kW rises from 17 to 19.

• The minimum age for riding bikes of over 35kW rises to 21.

• For Progressive Access there will be rigid two-year steps between categories A1 (Light Motorcycle), A2 (less than 35kW Motorcycle) and A (Unlimited Motorcycle).

• 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.

• Minimum Test Vehicle specifications will not be democratically decided and may include minimum engine capacities of 600cc for category A2 and 800cc for category A.

• Flexibility that empowers individual European countries to introduce age requirements which really makes a mockery of the whole concept of a European harmonized motorcycle licence.

This is bad for the future of the riders’ movement and the motorcycle industry as it diminishes the pool of potential support and buyers as well as reducing the percentage of total traffic that we represent.

Suggested Letter

You may have already contacted your MEP regarding the directive but they will not be aware of the demo in Brussels.

The demo is on a Saturday and they might not be available but asking for their support for the riders lobby and making them welcome to attend will give a much stronger voice to the demo.

We already have the support of one UK political party and MEP to attend.

Dear MEP

The Motorcycle Action Group and the British Motorcyclists Federation are co-operating with Motor Cycle News in the organisation of a protest gathering and ride in Brussels on Saturday 1st October in response to the EU proposals on motorcycle licensing contained in the Third European Licence Directive.

The plan is to meet at the Atomium in Brussels at 1pm on Saturday October 1st and after a few brief speeches, to ride past the Parliament buildings in order to provide a photo opportunity for the media.

We feel that the risk posed to the future of motorcycling by these draconian regulations is considerable as it is likely they will severely discourage new riders from taking to two wheels.

In all probability millions of potential riders will take to cars instead as access to them will be far easier by comparison.

The regulations would appear to have been designed simply to discourage people from taking to motorcycles as a crude means of reducing the gross numbers of motorcycle accidents, a policy which will be resisted totally by the riders’ movement.

We apologise for the short notice of this demonstration which has been prompted by the sustained intransigence of EU institutions under the banner of harmonisation.

I am asking that you give your support to the demo and although on a Saturday you are welcome to attend and meet with riders and express your views.

What the riders organisations are asking for is the removing the motorcycle part of the Third European Directive so that the issues can be dealt on a full Second Reading in the European Parliament complete with a Conciliation Committee being convened with the view to deleting the motorcycling proposals from the directive and working to address the real issues of motorcycle safety.

Meanwhile the rider’s organisations in the UK continue to work with the Department for Transport on implementing the actions in the UK National Motorcycle Strategy addressing the real issues.

Kind Regards

Contact Your MEP

For your MEP’s email address or local constituency address go to: www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm

Or write to them at:

ASP 14E165
European Parliament
RueWiertz
1047 Brussels
Belgium

Feed any replies or requests for further information to:

Trevor Baird Director of Public Affairs
MAG UK
PO Box 750
Rugby
CV21 3ZR

Email: public-affairs@mag-uk.org