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BIKESAFE
MAG has supported the Bikesafe from its inception in 1997 in Yorkshire. Although the MCIA (Motor Cycle Industry Association) has found £37,500 to inject into
Bikesafe which will see the initiative keeping up to speed until April 2005 further funding is required to keep the national assessment courses open to riders.
The Government Advisory
Group on Motorcycling (GAGM) report recommends, “That the Government considers funding mechanisms for a fully national Bikesafe programme that is operated to an agreed national
standard.”
Bikesafe has produced a national syllabus that puts Bikesafe in the forefront of introducing riders to further advanced training through its assessment courses, with
funding providing the means for national coordination of the scheme through out the UK.
MAG agrees with the bike industry that while the Government claims reducing bike accidents is
important to it, pressure needs to be placed on ministers to find a way of funding Bikesafe.
MAG and the bike industry also concur that the funding should come from the cash collected
by speed cameras.
Unfortunately at this time this funding is not available because of rules and regulations set by government that allow camera partnerships to keep the money raised in
speeding fines.
Susan Beck, national communications manager for the safety camera partnerships said, earlier this year; "As the weather improves motorcyclists generally take to the
road and it is vital that all bikers think about the last time they attended a riding skills course, such as BikeSafe.
The safety camera partnerships are happy to advise all bikers of
their nearest approved training provider as we simply want to encourage all motorcycle users to get the best training to handle their bikes."
Fine words commenting on the
excellent “Handle or Lose it” campaign in April this year and the launch of a hard-hitting poster by the UK's safety camera partnerships, designed to encourage motorcyclists
to think about their riding skills and watch their speed.
But it needs more than fine words and the production of a poster to reduce motorcycle accidents. Bikesafe needs to be at the
coal face offering practical assessment of riders’ skills and awareness. A parallel issue is the education of other vehicle drivers raising their skills and awareness of motorcycles.
MAG Northern Ireland is leading the issue on driver
awareness with its think bike campaign which could be rolled out nationally.
In a recent response to a question in the House of
Commons the Transport minister David Jamieson answered: “….. The "Advisory Group on Motorcycling: Final Report to Government" was published in August and is available in
the House Library. It makes 16 suggestions and 38 recommendations to Government. A number of these concern improving safety and helping to prevent accidents. We are considering them carefully
in the context of preparing a national strategy for motorcycling, which we hope to have developed before the end of the year.”
Bikesafe mission statement: “To engage and
educate motorcyclist in a safe, professional and conflict free environment, encouraging them to seek out further training to hone their skills and abilities and create a genuine desire to
learn ‘lifetime riding skills’ thereby creating safer riding and reducing casualties.”
Table 1 below produced by the Department of Transport (Bikesafe initiatives by
Police Authority added by MAG) reflects rider fatalities and not seriously injured. The concentrations of fatalities ties in with urban areas were there is a high usage of motorcycles and
rural areas such as the Yorkshire Peak district and Sussex. A problem being that riders who visit areas with good riding roads, who do not have Bikesafe in their own area which might have low
fatalities, will fall outside the scope of Bikesafe.
What can MAG do?
1 You can write to your police authority (see table below for those without Bikesafe) and ask why they do
not participate in the Bikesafe scheme.
2 Write to your MP, even if your police authority participates in Bikesafe.
Asking/informing them:
A. To contact the Transport
Minister David Jameson requesting to change the funding mechanisms for Speed Camera partnerships, so that revenue raised can be allocated to Bikesafe thus helping to improve road safety in an
area of particular public concern - motorcycle accidents.
B. That with proper funding Bikesafe would be able to co ordinate the scheme through out the UK.
C. That funding if not
available by this means then government should fund Bikesafe directly.
Sherwood MAG group has started the ball rolling by inviting their local MP Paddy Tipping to its meeting.
Rep Alan Waldron briefed the MP about the Government's unwillingness to fund the widely respected Bikesafe programme, which offers assessment and advice from police traffic officers to
motorcyclists.
Given the amount of money raised from speeding fines alone, to allow such a commendable scheme to fold for want of less than £50,000 nationwide seems at best ridiculous,
at worst scandalous.
Mr Tipping will take up the matter with Junior Transport Minister David Jameson, and also with Notts Chief Constable
Steve Green to find out why Notts police do not participate in the scheme in any case.
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