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Back to MAG Reviews on the 3rd European Licence Directive Here
3DLD Urgent - Fast - Targeted Lobby Required
Still Time Left!
(Updated 30th October 2006 - See Ashley Mote MEP below)
The 3rd European Driving Licence Directive saga moves into a critical penultimate stage.
The final text of the Directive has been published and it is expected that a Second Reading will take place in the European Parliament on the 12th December 2006.
However as you may be aware MAG has worked closely with Conservative MEP Philip Bradbourn who has re tabled motorcycle friendly amendments to the Directive to the TRAN Committee (Transport and Tourism) in Europe.
The vote in this committee will decide whether the motorcycle amendments will be submitted in the European Parliament in December. The vote is expected to take place in the TRAN Committee on the 22nd November 2006.
This despite the MEP in charge of the Directive - Mathieu Grosch from Belgium who called for the TRAN committee on the 10th October 2006 not to propose amendments as an agreement had been found between the Parliament and the Council with a strenuous intervention by Philip Bradbourn.
Therefore we need an URGENT - FAST - TARGETED LOBBY to specific MEPs in the TRAN Committee at this critical stage BEFORE the 22nd November 2006.
Trevor Baird
Director Of Public Affairs (MAG UK)
This full document can be downloaded from Here Word Document 363kb
Objective
Our main objective at this stage is the support of the non Conservative MEPs who sit on the TRAN Committee for the amendments.
What we are Lobbying for in the TRAN Committee
Our Position:
- Ask the selected MEPs to make sure when voting in the TRAN Committee to vote against the motorcycle proposals in the Directive.
Our Fall Back Position:
- Ask your MEPs to support Philip Bradbourn amendments when voting in the TRAN Committee.
Suggested Letter
We usually state that standard letters can get ignored and for maximum impact every letter needs to be personal.
To give you an idea the sample letter below should be used as a guide when drafting your letters to MEPs.
However this is a complicated issue and the suggested letter below reflects this complexity. So at this stage if you wish you may just want to replicate the letter, bearing in mind the parts in italics and brackets.
A list of MEPs to contact is included at the end of this document.
3rd EU Driving Licence Directive – TRAN Committee
Dear [Name of your MEP],
You are no doubt aware that the European Parliament is to undertake the Second Reading of the Third EC Driving Licence Directive at present set for the 12th December 2006 and that the TRAN Committee is due to vote on amendments on the 22nd November 2006. .
As an [active motorcyclist/Motorcycle Action Group member] in your constituency I have followed [and participated] in the debate regarding this directive through FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations).
In its current form, the draft Directive clearly disadvantages new and young motorcyclists, creating unacceptable financial barriers to motorcycling without any guarantee of improving motorcycle safety.
I am also extremely concerned that the opinions of motorcyclists and their representatives have been ignored throughout the whole legislative process by the European Commission and their representative’s.
I can only describe the motorcycle aspects of the Directive as a series of draconian hoops and hurdles which I consider unjustified. I have enclosed a graph in Annex 2 [or can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/fjzel] which outlines the complexity of the proposal and why the rational of licence harmonization will never be achieved given the variance of testing and training capabilities of some EU Member States.
United Kingdom MEP Philip Bradbourn and member of the TRAN Committee, has presented amendments to counter a number of issues raised by the Directive. As a member or substitute of the TRAN Committee, I ask you to consider the concerns listed at the end of this letter regarding the proposals relating to motorcycling.
Please note that these opinions reflect not only my opinion but both rider organisations in the UK the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK), the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF)] and the pan-European riders’ organisation, the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA).
I believe that the motorcycle part of the Directive is damaging for the following reasons.
While it is undoubtedly desirable to improve motorcycle safety regardless of the accuracy of casualty statistics, the rationale behind the motorcycling proposals is questionable. The review of the Road Safety Action Plan has been cited as alleging an increase in motorcyclists’ casualties. It has failed to take into account the increase in usage of motorcycles with a constantly falling rate and the reduction in casualties.
The main reasoning is that the strict application and moving age limits upwards and the complicated regime of testing without looking at how riders are trained will not improve motorcycling or the safety of riders.
The complexity of the proposals will not be understood by potential motorcyclists leading to less compliance diminishing the safety sought by the Directive.
The Directive will cut across the positive recommendations such as those made in the UK’s Government’s Motorcycling Strategy:
- Improving standards of training
- A register of instructors.
- Incentives for better post-test training.
- More Bikesafe assessments, Rider Improvement courses and Speed Awareness courses.
- Raising awareness of motorcyclists by other road users.
The whole process of the directive can be seen as a philosophical approach that tougher testing and training will reduce accidents.
The Directive is premature as the 2nd European Directive regarding motorcycle testing has still to be implemented in several countries.
The enforcement community, already struggling with the requirements of the 2nd EC Driving Licence Directive will not fully comprehend the 3rd EC Driving Licence rendering it unenforceable.
My position is that the motorcycle aspects of the directive as they stand should be voted against in the next TRAN Committee.
However if this cannot be achieved I would ask you to support the amendments tabled by Philip Bradbourn. [I have included a list of the amendments see Annex 1/which can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/epu8a]
Finally I would urge you to let the MEPs in your political grouping know that these concerns are reflected by motorcyclists and their organisations in the Europe who may be contacting them direct.
Your Sincerely
………………………………………
MEPs To Contact
These are the UK MEPS who sit on the TRAN - Committee on Transport and Tourism in Europe.
Only contact these MEPs if you are in their constituency. For details of all MEPs see http://tinyurl.com/zctwx
At this stage you may wish to draft a letter to your own MEP not on the TRAN Committee. However if your MEP is Conservative you may want to thank them for the support shown by Philip Bradbourn. Remember MEPs in your area are made up from various political parties.
Labour
Gary Titley – North West MEP - Socialist Group in the European Parliament
gary.titley@europarl.europa.eu
contact@gary-titley-mep.new.labour.org.uk
www.garytitley.com
Visited at the European Parliament by MAG. Has suggested that Direct Access should be between 21 - 27 years and left for Member States to decide which age to implement this. You can guess that Governments would choice the upper age limit.
Robert Evans – London MEP - Socialist Group in the European Parliament
robertevansmep@btclick.com
robert.evans@europarl.europa.eu
robertevansmep@yahoo.co.uk
Catherine Stihler – Scotland MEP - Socialist Group in the European Parliament
cstihler@cstihlermep.freeserve.co.uk
www.cstihlermep.com
Labour MEPs generally support the Directive or certain aspects of the directive. The main support would be for the amendments without the removal of the whole directive.
Independent
Ashley Mote – South East MEP - Non-attached Members
(NOTE NO FURTHER REQUIREMENT TO LOBBY MR MOTE FULL RESPONSE RECEIVED AGAINST THE DIRECTIVE)
ashley.mote@europarl.europa.eu
www.ashleymote.co.uk
We have had no contact or rather no response from Ashley Mote
UKIP
Michael Henry Nattrass – West Midlands MEP
michaelhenry.nattrass@europarl.eu
www.mikenattrassmep.co.uk
Public support of motorcyclists’ position regarding the removal of the whole directive. However we would wish him to support amendments and not just the removal of the directive as a whole which would be presented at the Second Reading in Parliament or in Committee.
Postal Address
[Name of MEP]
Altiero Spinelli Building
European Parliament
60 Rue Wiertz
B-1047 Brussels
Belgium
Please forward any responses to myself:
Trevor Baird
Director Of Public Affairs (MAG UK)
public-affairs@mag-uk.org
MAGUK
PO BOX 750
Rugby
CV21 3ZR
Don’t forget to sign the petition on the campaign website Here
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