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August Network - Campaigns Managers Activities
Following my annual pilgrimage to the TT races and more lately to the World Ducati Week, during the first week in July, it is back to work and the noble cause of rider’s rights.
Off Road (Vehicles), Registration Bill
Let’s start with some really good news which is that the poorly thought through and totally unnecessary private members bill put forward by Graham Stringer MP, Blackley Manchester has been withdrawn. Mounting pressure from the government and the ‘coalition of opposition’ which included MAG contributed to the mass of amendments for the committee to consider.
This forced Stringer into capitulating and withdrawing the bill at the committee stage and before it went for its third reading. Stringer has instead accepted an independent review by a ‘task force’ to look at the issues he intended the bill to address, namely the illegal use of mini motos. This option had been offered to him by the transport minister Dr Stephen Ladyman at the second reading! Despite this Stringer persisted with his bill until it became clear, even to him, that with the huge number of amendments it would be talked out at third reading.
Thank goodness for common sense but it is frustrating when one considers the amount of time and effort that has gone into meetings, forming alliances and tabling amendments in opposition to the bill. I am sure that Valentino Rossi is breathing a sigh of relief knowing he doesn’t have to display a number plate on his prototype Motogp bike! I for one am glad as most of my time has been invested in combating this mad cap bill.
A huge thanks to the many of you who e mailed me and who wrote to MP’s expressing concern. It did the trick, well done!
New Prime minister and musical chairs in the cabinet and shadow cabinet
Staying with political matters at Westminster level the ‘crowning’ of Gordon Brown as the successor to Tony Blair has brought with it the usual round of musical chairs and people who were ‘experts’ in one field, now overnight become ‘experts’ in others!
Having just established good working relationships with key players in government it is time for letters to go out wishing previous incumbents in transport all the best in their new roles and thanking them for their considerations and for welcoming letters to the new cabinet and shadow teams.
Some responses are already dropping through the letterbox with offers of meetings. These will be some time off now as Parliament is on summer recess and will not reconvene until October.
Time for ‘silly season’ for the press!
Companies banning bikers from riding in the course of their employment.
As mentioned in my July report I was due to meet the staff of ‘Road Safe’ who have been granted a significant budget from the DfT to progress the ‘Management of Road Risk’ ( MORR), in the workplace. Basically where people, like Trevor, Mutchy and myself ride our bikes in connection with the company business.
In our increasingly risk averse society some companies are banning people from riding bikes due to the perceived risk. In reality this is more to do with fear of the compensation culture which is so ingrained in society and companies reluctance to be drawn into lengthy and expensive compensation claims.
The true reality is that you can properly manage the risk and capitalise on the benefits bikes bring by way of reduced congestion, reduced environmental impact and greater mobility. ‘Road Safe’ canvassed round for ‘business champions’ to help with risk management strategies for companies to adopt. I put myself forward and following a very positive meeting ‘Road Safe’ have welcomed my, and by association MAG’s, involvement to help inform risk management strategies.
At the moment the focus is on ‘white van man’ but by December they will be looking to expand on the motorcycling theme. In the meantime Trevor and I had better have a chat on style of Hi Viz vest or Sam Browne belt to wear. Only joking!
DfT Drink Drive Campaign
On 19th July I attended the launch of the Governments new Drink Drive Campaign and had a preview of the publicity videos and audios which are currently being shown on national TV and played on radio. As bikers we are vulnerable to the driving antics of incompetent drivers at the best of times and these dangers are compounded if the said driver is under the influence of drink. On your behalf I have given MAG’s full support to the campaign and a press release is on the web site to that effect.
How about this for a scary statistic. One in five, or 20%, of all drivers killed in crashes have traces of illegal substances in their body! Drunk and spaced out. The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police Med Hughes is calling for an improvement in the law to clarify the situation regarding driving and drugs. I agree with him.
Non Slip Manhole Covers
This campaign originally initiated in the Western Region has taken a step forward nationally. I raised the matter as an agenda item at the July meeting of the National Motorcycle Council, Traffic management planning and transport policy sub committee, ( what a mouthful!).
The meeting is attended by, amongst others, representatives from the DfT. The issue is around the current British standard applied to manhole covers which is better than the European standard but clearly is still lacking in grip when it comes to motor bikes.
A commitment has been made to engage with the British Standards board with a view to improving the standard.
We will involve ministerial support, probably from the shadow roads minister Robert Goodwill MP, in order to give the campaign some momentum.
Transport Forums
This month I attended one of the meetings to inform the North Yorkshire Local Transport Plan. I was the only person representing motorcycling interests and was able to put forward suggestion regarding the review of road side furniture and signs, improved parking and the use of bus lanes and advanced stop lines for bikers. An added bonus is that the County Councillor responsible for transport matters is an old police colleague and who is sympathetic to motorcycling. We have a one to one meeting planned.
It is essential that we get ourselves involved in these forums. It is quite clear that despite the best efforts of the Governments Motorcycling Strategy to take into account motorcycling needs this simply does not happen unless someone is there, in the room, with the relevant document, i.e. the Strategy to wave at people and to use as a lever to improve our lot. I have been to a number now and always managed to get motorcycling on the agenda and considered but I simply can’t get round every county and unitary authority in the country. This is where the local MAG political officers can really make a difference.
All the problems we face whether it be dangerous crash barriers, inadequate parking to name but two stem from a lack of influence at the very local level. That’s where you really can make a difference. All the help and support you need is only a phone call away.
Manchester Congestion Charging
This is a thorny issue and I am grateful to Trevor who, in my absence, submitted our position to the Manchester Council, stating the case for exempting motorcycles from the congestion charge.
After all we are a solution to the problem they are trying to address!
I am in liaison with the MCIA and BMF on this one in order to maximise our ‘critical mass’ and the council have promised to engage in formal consultation before the plans are finalised.
Currently they have submitted their bid for funding to implement the scheme by 2012. I will keep you updated and please visit the campaign on our web site for full details.
Campaign to combat motorcycle theft in London
On 31st July I attended a meeting with the Metropolitan police, stolen vehicle team at their offices in north London. Whilst the overall picture in relation to vehicle crime is well down, the figures belie the fact that motorcycle theft has remained consistently bad. In London alone, between October 06 and July 07 over 6,500 motorcycles have been stolen. Of these 1,448 were over 600cc and the remainder under 600cc.
I was attending in both my capacity as a MAG representative and also as chair of the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group, (MCRG). Any campaign has to start somewhere and the outcome of this initial meeting was that a Borough which has a specific problem would be selected and then targeted by way of publicity, support from MAG, MCIA, insurance companies and those in the field of motorcycle security.
This would be backed up with an appropriate policing strategy.
Roads Policing
At the time of going to press we are still awaiting the outcome of inquiry into Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom. The delay has been due to the investigating member of the IPCC being off sick though it was anticipated the result would be known by the end of July. No doubt MCN will have the result on their web site as soon as it comes through.
I still have not had a satisfactory answer from North Yorkshire Police on their application, or not, of the ACPO national motorcycle enforcement policy so I have ‘winged’ off another letter. In the meantime I have made some telephone calls to former colleagues who are still in roads policing at the sharp end and they inform me that whilst they were not applying the policy they were now! Let me know if anyone receives treatment outside the prosecution policy.
Membership
Well you didn’t think I was going to get through my article without mentioning it did you?
In between all of the above I have been meeting with Creo and fine tuning the marketing of the ‘new look’ MAG.
The comments of support from the membership far outweigh the negativity and the recognition we are now receiving suggests that it is having a positive effect.
Only last week I was in the offices of the Daily Telegraph who want to do a feature in their motoring supplement on MAG. Now that’s what I call mainstream!
Of course we have to convert all this investment into membership. Adverts alone will not do it.
It has to be backed up by a range of things, articles and letters in magazines, presentations and chats to clubs who are thinking of affiliating or changing their allegiance from elsewhere.
Not forgetting of course the ‘Recruit a friend’.
So lets see some positive letters from the membership in MCN and MCM and round up those motorcycling friends and get them joined up!
Bike Safe, Ride Free
David
Campaigns Manager
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