|
Europe Excludes Motorcycling from EU Mobility Week
Issued 12th September 2008
Why have motorcycles always been excluded from mobility debates while they clearly contribute to improving citizens’ mobility, offering affordable and sustainable solution to daily mobility needs?
FEMA - the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations - does not have a clue.
The European Mobility Week is no exception to the rule, with the worsening effect that EU messages are disseminated not only in Europe, but worldwide and initiatives taken as good examples by numerous stakeholders.
The European Mobility Week (September 16-22, 2008) only presents motorcycles as a problem (Here), completely overlooking them as a solution (Here)
While it is common sense that 2-wheelers help reduce congestion (use of space), or else increase social inclusion by offering an affordable transport alternative when all other transport means are simply not an option.
Motorcycling also offers clear advantages in terms of CO2 emissions as shown by the recently adopted CO2 taxation scheme in Spain: over 80% of the motorcycle fleet gained an exemption from taxation because of their high performance in terms of CO2 emissions.
In road safety terms, as highlighted by all motorcycle safety experts in the recent global ITF workshop on motorcycle safety (Here), integrating motorcycling into transport policies - hence, mobility debates - is the only efficient way to ensure that motorcyclists are rightly taken into account in all safety-related fields (infrastructure, human behaviour, training).
At a time when Europe keeps on claiming that it wants to “reduce by half the number of fatalities on roads”, FEMA is more than astonished by this lack of consistency between European policies.
As is often the case, Europe speaks a two-tongue language: on the one hand, it singles out motorcyclists in the road safety debate (always using gross and absolute statistics) and calls for the usual limitative and restrictive measures such as limiting access to driving licences.
On the other hand, it completely ignores the most elementary measure of all: to consider motorcycling as part of the transport mix and rightly take its advantages into account.
By mixing debates (mobility/environment; safety/environment), Europe not only disseminates incorrect messages, but it also creates a lack of understanding and defensive attitude from citizens who only want to be fairly taken into consideration.
END
Note to Editors:
FEMA’s answer to the EU consultation for the Green Paper on Urban Transport: Here pdf
Contact: Aline Delhaye, General Secretary:
a.delhaye@fema-online.eu
Mobile: +32 (0)495 501 555
FEMA - Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations
Rue des Champs 62, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 736 9047 / Fax: +32 2 736 940
www.fema.ridersrights.org
|
