|
|
THE UK NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE COUNCIL |
WHAT IS THE NMC?
The National Motorcycle Council is a body set up to provide a focus for the different interests within the motorcycle and powered two-wheeler community. Its membership includes manufacturers, dealers, rider groups, and training/safety organisations.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Council will initiate and pursue agreed objectives in order to promote the use of the powered two wheeler (PTW) as a mode which is recognised to be an integral part of transport strategy for the new millennium.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
The National Motorcycle Council (the Council) is an informal
grouping of organisations involved with motorcycling and motorcycling safety.
Such organisations may include representatives of the trade, industry, rider
bodies, motoring organisations, road safety and training bodies.
Please note that for clarity the words "motorcycle" and "motorcycling" have been used to apply to all Powered Two Wheelers (PTWs) and PTW activities.
NMC POLICY
Philosophy
1. Power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, scooters and motorcycles
- known collectively as powered two wheelers (PTWs) - have until recently been
ignored as an option for curbing traffic density and easing congestion in our
towns and cities.
2. The powered two wheeler is an environmentally-friendly and
economical means of transport (especially the smaller capacity models) which
increases choice for existing travel options. It provides convenient
door-to-door journeys with lower travelling times and requires fewer resources
in its construction and operation than other motorised modes of transport as
well as having a less detrimental impact on the environment. It is also a
space-efficient vehicle that requires less land use than other modes, and needs
less than a fifth of the space taken up by cars for parking. The PTW is often
more affordable than other motorised transport modes, a significant factor in
alleviating social exclusion. It offers the personal freedom and convenience of
the motorcar with significantly less of the congestion and pollution associated
with that mode.
Transport Strategy
3. For too long the powered two wheeler has been ignored in
transport strategy despite its increasing popularity. The NMC seeks to influence
Government policy and advisory documents such as Local Transport Plans and
Guidance to promote a positive attitude towards the PTW.
4. As the Government has committed itself to a cycling strategy
and a walking strategy, we believe there should be a motorcycling strategy. The
formation of the Advisory Group for Motorcycling is a positive step in this
direction.
5. Local authorities should be required to take account of
powered two wheelers in the transport planning process. Travel awareness schemes
encouraging the use of sustainable transport such as TravelWise should recommend
their use, in addition to other alternatives to the motor car.
6. For truly integrated transport strategies, employers should
be encouraged to include powered two wheelers in green commuter plans by
providing secure parking and facilities for storing protective clothing.
Airports, railway stations and bus depots should also provide secure dedicated
motorcycle parking and make lockers available for the storage of protective
clothing.
Safety
7. The powered two wheeler is the only category of vehicle to
have achieved the year 2000 casualty reduction targets in advance of the
deadline. While the NMC accepts that the fall in casualties has been accompanied
by a reduction in the overall number of powered two wheeler users, the casualty
rate per mile has decreased significantly. In the subsequent recovery of the
motorcycle market, the growth in vehicle usage has exceeded the increase in the
number of casualties. We are pleased that the 2000 - 2100 casualty reduction
targets do not call for a greater decrease than for other vehicle types as was
the case previously. However we feel that there should be some indication of
rate per mile and that casualty reduction figures should make allowances for
modal shifts to more vulnerable but sustainable modes such as bicycles and
motorcycles.
8. At present the research that takes place into accidents
involving powered two wheelers predominately looks at secondary protection
devices, for example air bags and leg protectors. We believe that all research
should investigate the causes of road accidents with a view to developing
primary safety measures from a standpoint that prevention is better than cure.
9. Conspicuity measures, including the use of daytime
headlights, are often erroneously regarded as a panacea for reducing motorcycle
accidents. Examination of evidence supporting the use of conspicuity measures
has shown much of it to be flawed, with the conclusion that it has no positive
effect on motorcycle accidents. The compulsory use of these measures should
therefore not be recommended.
10. The Government should ensure that in requiring health
authorities to recover costs for treating casualties for road traffic accidents,
perpetrators' rather than victims' insurers should be required to make
recompense. Knock-for-knock arrangements should not be acceptable. Hence
insurance premiums of poor drivers specifically rather than of motorcyclists
generally will reflect the increased costs.
Helmets & Clothing
11. The legislation relating to the wearing of safety helmets
was enacted in 1973 and was not initially supported by adequate standards.
Current standards ensure better levels of protection and we welcome the
recognition of UN ECE Regulation 22 Amendment 5 and above as equivalent to the
British Standard BS 6658, which permits the use of these helmets on public
roads. However, we consider that a review of safety helmet design should be
conducted, and, in addition to the addressing improvements to the protection
they offer, it should consider means to minimise noise levels which may cause
hearing damage as well as measures to prevent the misting of visors and other
eyewear.
12. The National Motorcycle Council would like to see the use of
visors with a light transmittance of less than 50% allowed in daylight
conditions only. This would help to combat the problem of sun glare for riders.
13. There is evidence to show that the European Commission is
keen to see that the use of safety clothing complying with the Personal
Protection Equipment Directive becomes mandatory. Whilst the production of
effective standards for consumer information is valuable, we believe that any
agreement on the standard of safety clothing should not include compulsion. It
is current practice that no VAT is added to the price of motorcycle helmets.
Reduced or zero rates of VAT should be applied to other protective motorcycle
clothing, especially to replacement visors, which are currently subject to the
full rate of 17.5%.
Driving Tests
14. Some advances have been made with the inclusion of questions
on vulnerable road users including motorcyclists in the driving licence theory
test. However in its current form it is still considered to be inappropriate in
that it fails to tackle the issue of hazard perception. All road users should be
made more aware of vulnerable modes both through better training and an
appropriately amended theory test. We welcome technological advances in the
testing process which will include hazard/vulnerable user recognition awareness.
Priority Lanes
15. We believe that greater consideration should be given to the
idea of priority lanes. After a pioneering scheme in Bristol, the powered two
wheeler has been allowed to use bus lanes in a number of Local Authority areas.
By allowing powered two wheelers to use priority lanes, the motorcycle is able
to contribute to alleviating the growing problem of urban congestion. Findings
to date from the Bristol scheme and others show no adverse effects on casualty
rates for either PTW users or other vulnerable road users. Government advisory
documents to local authorities should reflect this. In addition, the NMC
believes PTWs should be given access to high occupancy vehicle lanes and the
Advanced Stop Lines currently provided for cyclists.
Road maintenance
16. Poor road maintenance is a problem for all road users,
particularly those using both powered and unpowered single track vehicles. We
believe that the Government and other concerned parties should be aware that
this is an issue affecting all road users. The NMC is concerned about the
potential of street works by utility and telecom companies to cause unnecessary
traffic congestion. We believe that these companies should co-ordinate their
works with the local authorities and each other or face appropriate fines. These
companies should be obliged to re-instate the roads upon which they have worked
to an adequate standard.
17. Traffic calming instruments particularly affect powered two
wheeler users. We believe that better sign posting provisions should be
maintained to avoid any safety compromise, and that the needs of powered two
wheeler users should be taken into account in the design of traffic calming
schemes. We are particularly concerned by the preoccupation with the use of
vertical deflections, and that the frictional properties of surfacing materials
should be adequate.
Licensing and Laws
18. The National Motorcycle Council welcomes the recent
developments in electric power assisted bicycles. We would like to see
electrical and motorised power-assisted cycles of up to 1kw included in the
non-motorised vehicle definition for this class of vehicle.
19. We believe that significantly reduced or zero Vehicle Excise
Duty should be placed on powered two wheelers. As powered two wheelers are a
more environmentally-friendly vehicle, a higher variable VED should be
transferred to those vehicles that are greater polluters, such as larger cars
and lorries.
20. We believe that noise limits should be set at the levels of
the 1999 EC Type Approval Directives and that there should be more emphasis on
enforcing noise limits for vehicles in use rather than constantly reducing those
of new vehicles.
21. We consider that reducing emissions by catalytic converters is inefficient, resulting in increased fuel consumption and greater production of greenhouse gases. Methods of improving engine efficiency which thereby reduce emissions should be sought instead.
22. The EC Driving Licence Directive has prevented the use
of sidecar outfits as driving test vehicles for able-bodied candidates. We seek
the assistance of Government in reversing this requirement in the current review
of the directive in the European Union.
23. The National Motorcycle Council believes that greater
priority should be given to road traffic law enforcement which directly relates
to driving standards rather than that which concentrates on the easier option of
prosecuting absolute offences.
Vehicle Theft & Secure Parking
24. Vehicle theft is of particular concern to users of PTWs. Few
car parks in towns and cities have provision for secure parking for any two
wheeled vehicles. We would encourage local authorities, employers and managers
of public areas to consider greater use of secure parking. We would suggest that
there be a statutory obligation that all car parks have a percentage of secure
parking for PTWs. Provision for PTW parking should be included in the
requirements of the ACPO Secure Car Parks Scheme. To recognise the benefits of
increased PTW use, there should be greater availability of dedicated, preferably
secure parking.
Red routes
25. The current make-up of Red Route regulations does not allow
the legal use of loading bays by motorcycles and light vans for the delivery and
collection of small items. This anomaly is unnecessary and is not apparent to
the road user, who can legally make deliveries and collections on yellow lines
and should be corrected forthwith. Chevron loading restrictions, in
circumstances where traffic flow is the deciding factor, need not applied to
PTWs, which do not block traffic flows. It should be recognised that PTWs cause
much less obstruction than other vehicles and penalties should reflect
this.
Education & Training
26. The NMC is pleased that formalisation of training measures
in recent years has helped to reduce significantly motorcycle casualties.
Training methods need to keep up with changes in the demography of the
motorcycle riding population. The expertise of NMC members will be used to
ensure that future developments in training and education are relevant,
worthwhile and sensible, with road safety as the top priority.
27. The inclusion of road safety schemes in the education of all
young people is of benefit to all road users but is especially beneficial to
vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists. We support the inclusion of road
safety education into the National Curriculum for all areas of the UK, as well
as less formal input. However most current schemes are aimed at teenagers and we
would welcome the introduction of positive education relating to the safe use of
motorcycles to a lower age group.
Road pricing
28. Road pricing offers logistical problems for PTW users. As
the PTW has little impact on either road surface deterioration or congestion and
pollution, motorcyclists should not be subject to charging in any road pricing
scheme or workplace parking levy.
NMC June 2000
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| AA |
Foundation for Motoring
Ltd Motor Cycle Industry
Association Motorcycle Retailers
Association Auto Cycle
Union
Local Authority Road Safety
Officers' Association
BMF Rider
Training CSM Rider
Training Driving Standards
Agency Institute of Advanced
Motorcyclists
London Borough of Sutton,
Road Safety Unit Motorcycle Rider
Training Association
For further information about the NMC and its activities, contact the NMC Secretariat on + 44 (0) 247 622 7427. Fax + 44 (0) 247 622 9175. e-mail nmc@despatch.co.uk
©Copyright
1998 -1999 Craig Carey-Clinch
