|
Manchester Congestion Charging
Still an ongoing campaign.
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) says that proposals contained in Manchester’s congestion charging scheme to charge motorcycles are the thin end of the wedge as cities in the UK wait in line to implement future national road pricing plans.
MAG is amazed that the authorities in Manchester have even considered charging motorcycles, when the London congestion charging scheme has proved successful and beneficial to congestion busting motorcycles.
The proposal for a traffic charging scheme by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) is aimed to overcome the increasing problems of congestion in this city.
Motorcycles offer a solution to the problem of congestion. Congestion charging schemes currently exist in Central London and Durham. In both schemes motorcycles are exempt from the charge because it has been recognised that this form of transport reduces congestion.
MAG believes that motorcycles fulfil a significant role as part of an integrated transport policy by not only relieving traffic congestion but also pollution, whilst enhancing commercial efficiency by cutting the length of journey times to work.
No To Throttle Control - No To Control
This campaign is still active.
MAG re launches its 2001 campaign to oppose the compulsory fitment to privately owned vehicles of any device designed to arbitrarily remove control from the driver to remote operation and asks all vehicle users to sign the Mulhouse Declaration.
MAG President Ian Mutch was emphatic about the issue. "Let's keep this one simple, we don't want it, not today not tomorrow not ever."
Withdrawing control from the rider is fundamentally what MAG was set up to oppose.
Motorcycling is about fun and freedom and control, your hand on your throttle, your decision.
If people abuse that control and fall foul of the law then that is a different issue but when technology is deployed to directly control motorcycles then a big line is crossed and MAG knows exactly which side of that line it stands on.
Withdrawing control from the rider is fundamentally what MAG was set up to oppose.
This is ultimately a philosophic issue, it's not just about safety, it's about what sort of society we want to live in.
MAG says, "We don't want to live in a society with the level of control which ISA can make possible and we intend to get more votes for our point of view than the safety zealots get for theirs.
Both can be found on the MAG website at www.mag-uk.org in the Campaigns Section.
|
