MAG UK
Road safety review offers an opportunity to improve road safety for motorcyclists.
By
Mar 12, 2008, 15:04

The Motorcycle Action Group safeguards the future of motorcycling with practical recommendations to the Parliamentary Transport Select Committee.

The Parliamentary Transport Select Committee, chaired by the Honourable Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, is to hold a review of road safety and has invited interested parties to submit evidence. The review is likely to take place in either March or April and will consider what more can be done between now and 2010 when the current targets end, and what considerations should be made for beyond 2010.

MAG is the only motorcycle organisation to have submitted evidence and recommends that the committee supports;

The Government appointment of a ‘Motorcycling Tsar’ to help cut across government departments and policy makers to help promote joined up thinking for effective road safety measures for motorcyclists.

The reduction of VAT rate to zero for CE approved motorcycle safety clothing. This would make protective clothing more affordable bringing it into line with crash helmets which are already zero rated for VAT.

Permitting motorcycles in bus lanes. This is a simple measure which has proven road safety benefits for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and bus passengers.

The adoption of a road safety vision. Casualty reduction targets have had a positive effect, focussing activity on casualty reduction, but an overarching vision would encourage greater innovation. Visions need to inspire but they also need to be realistically achievable. The Swedish, ‘Vision Zero’ is an example of an unrealistic goal whilst the Netherlands ‘Sustainable Safety’ both inspires and yet at the same time feels as though it is an achievable aspiration.

MAG Campaigns Manager, David Short, says, “It is vitally important for motorcycling interests to be represented at the committee. We are vulnerable road users and feature too highly in the casualty rates but we must ensure that measures to promote safety do not disadvantage motorcyclists based on misinformation. There will no doubt be those from the more vociferous elements of road safety who will be calling for speed limiters, power controls and technical interventions to remotely control motorcycles. The recommendations put forward by MAG will have an immediate benefit to the safety of motorcyclists and the adoption of a vision and realistic targets for the future will deliver sustainable measures to improve road safety without detracting from the pleasure of enjoying travel on the UK road network”.

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