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Off Road Vehicles (Registration) – Bill
On Friday 3rd March parliament debated the Off Road Vehicles, (Registration) Bill. This is a private members bill brought by Graham Stringer MP for Manchester Blackley. The Bill passed its second reading and has been passed to committee stage.
The Bill has been brought in specifically to tackle the nuisance caused by the irresponsible, anti social and dangerous use of mini-moto motorcycles.
This activity is already illegal and there are sufficient powers to deal with the problem which is highly localised and usually in areas of social deprivation. It is not a nationwide problem; it does not affect all communities.
However, this legislation would adversely affect all off road activities which are properly managed by governing bodies such as the Auto Cycle Union.
It would place bureaucratic burdens on law abiding people who have a social responsibility and yet it would make no difference whatsoever on those who currently flaunt the law. It is a very blunt instrument, ill thought through, put forward to deal with a very specific problem.
There is already sufficient legislation to allow the police and local authorities to deal with the current scourge of illegal min-moto use.
There is evidence from around the country that proactive campaigns are having an effect on the problem.
There are schemes, supported by members of the Motorcycle Action Group, where youngsters can ride mini motos, legitimately in properly managed safe environments. Sales trends of mini motos also show that the ‘craze’ for these machines is already on the wane.
The Motorcycle Action Group are concerned that this bill will fail miserably to achieve its objectives and at the same time create a nightmare for bone fide motorcyclists engaged in off road events.
David Short, MAG Campaigns Manager says, ‘MAG will vigorously lobby MPs to help them with their understanding of the issues in order to ensure this Bill fails.
It is clear that the government does not want this Bill.
It would achieve nothing in the way of tackling anti social riding of mini motos but would inadvertently impose more red tape to strangle legitimate sport.
Can you imagine running a team in the TT races where numerous engines are swapped in a racing frame during a fortnight of racing?
This is nanny state at its worst and most ill informed’.
David Short can be contacted on:
Office 01347 822214
Mobile 077389 48080
E mail campaigns-manager@mag-uk.org
MAG Sport Juniors supporting young riders www.magsport.com
To The Email Army – 29th March 2007
Off Road Vehicles (Registration Bill) – Update - 29th March 2007
Anne Main MP (Conservative) has launched an Early Day Motion (EDM) to protect the interests of motorbike users.
Anne Main, Member of Parliament for St Albans, has tabled an Early Day Motion in an attempt to protect the interests of motorbike enthusiasts from the introduction of a costly and unnecessary licensing regime.
In opposition to the Off-Road Vehicles (Registration) Bill, introduced to Parliament by Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Manchester, Blackley, Anne has tabled Early Day Motion 1249, the text of which is as follows.
"That this House believes that the Off Road Vehicles (Registration) Bill would have the effect of imposing the requirement on competitive motor cyclists, employees of race tracks and law abiding biking enthusiasts of a costly and unnecessary licensing regime."
Anne said: "I know that many people are concerned about the potential impact of this Bill on both vintage motorbike enthusiasts and motorbike racing.
I completely share these concerns. It is clearly not right that a Bill aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour, predominantly in urban areas, should have wide-reaching implications for competitive motorcycling, employees of race tracks, and those people who like to spend their spare time refurbishing classic vehicles, as well as all other law-abiding members of the biking community."
When lobbying your MP you may wish to also mention this Early Day Motion and request their support by signing it.
UPDATE - 3rd April 2007
You can now sign a petition regarding the bill on the 10 Downing Street website at this link:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Off-Road/
The MAG campaign website is at http://tinyurl.com/35y98u
Please contact David Short campaigns-manager@mag-uk.org with any contact or response from your MP.
And as always a big thanks for committing to MAG and riders' rights.
Trevor Baird
Public Affairs Director (MAG UK)
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