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[EDITORIAL]
Dear Reader,
This last month has seen ACEM contributing to different European and International events on PTW road safety. You will find in this newsletter information related to the OECD-ITF workshop, the launch of the ETSC review and the presentation of the Initial Rider Training project results, all initiatives to which ACEM has been an active partner. As part of the Industry commitment to improving road safety, ACEM also published an updated version of its "Safety Plan for Action", as well as a renewed MAIDS website, which I invite you to visit. You will see that ACEM will also be involved in upcoming safety initiatives by the Motorcycle Community. These initiatives form an integral part of the ACEM approach to "shared responsibility" in road safety, fostering engagement with authorities and stakeholders towards the shared goal of improving road safety.
Enjoy your read!
Jacques Compagne
Acem Secretary General
[REPORT]
ITF identifies priorities for Motorcycle safety
The International Transport Forum Workshop in Lillehammer held on 10-11 June 2008 brought together nearly 100 expert participants from 21 countries, representing the main stakeholders involved in motorcycling safety. ACEM was among the contributors of this event as a member of the Organizing Committee. The objectives of the workshop were to identify the real problems of motorcyclist safety, discuss practical solutions to these problems, and propose a set of measures to improve safety.
[read more]
[REPORT]
ETSC draws attention to PTW safety
Safety implications of motorcycling
in the European Union
On 26 May the European Transport Safety Council presented a review on the Safety implications of motorcycling in the European Union. ACEM supported the launching event of this independent report focussing on PTW users' safety.
[read more]
[NEWS]
New look for MAIDS website
ACEM has given a new look to the MAIDS website. The high number of visitors and the uninterrupted interest by the researchers has prompted the need for a restyling. Since the publication of the MAIDS report in 2004 the report has been downloaded almost 20.000 times.
[read more]
[NEWS]
European Parliament adopts legislation on higher safety standards for road infrastructure
MEPs adopted on June 19 a legislative report on a directive to upgrade road safety management standards. The aim is to establish EU-wide standards on road infrastructure management. Safety standards for roads, in particular in road design maintenance, differ greatly between the Member States. The Directive requires the establishment and implementation of rules relating to road safety impact assessments, road safety audits, the management of road network safety and safety inspections by the Member States.
[read more]
[NEWS]
Honda reveals world's first
electronically-controlled “combined ABS”
During the first Honda Technical Workshop on Motorcycle Safety, on June 9th, Honda presented a new innovative safety feature for Super Sport bikes. More than 150 motorcycle experts from all over Europe convened at the LUK Driving Centre near Baden-Baden (Germany). Attendees included press, media and representatives from several scientific branches and technical associations.
[read more]
[NEWS]
Initial Rider Training Project launched
During a Conference-Debate held
on May 28 FEMA presented the results of the Initial Rider Training Project, to which ACEM is a partner. The conference illustrated the results and the recommendations of the project addressing the quality of
initial rider training, and focussing on hazard awareness and rider attitude and behaviour.
[read more]
[MOTORCYCLING & SOCIETY]
FEMA's 12th MEP RIDE in Brussels
FEMA, the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special edition of its annual Ride with Members of the European Parliament next Wednesday 25th June, in Brussels. This special MEP Ride will leave from the Cinquantenaire bringing participants through Brussels by bike. In the context of the Initial Rider Training Project a test track will be organised offering beginners the chance to learn the basics of riding a Powered Two Wheelers under the supervision of qualified instructors. ACEM provides the vehicles for the ride and for the novice riders test track.
[read more]
[MOTORCYCLING & SOCIETY]
UEM's road safety conference in Riga
The European Motorcycling Union will hold an international conference in Riga, Latvia, on the 13th of July dedicated to Mobility, Safety and Environment on PTW in the Northern European Countries. The aim of this conference is to address National Federations due to their preferential ties with local policy makers and with the competent authorities for the formulation of campaigns in favour of road safety. Presentations in Riga will be made by Poland Auto and Moto Club (PZM) representatives and by the Motorcycling Federation of Latvia (LaMSF). They will be joined by Jesper Christensen, general secretary of the Swedish Motorcyclist Association (SMA) associated to SVEMO, who will present the project on advanced riding, and the Patrice Assendelft, vice secretary of the Dutch Federation (KNMV) and in charge of road safety.
Also joining the panel of speakers will be Antonio Avenoso, Secretary General of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), Antonio Perlot (ACEM) and John Chatterton Ross, FIM/UEM director of Public Affairs. The presentations will be co-ordinated by the UEM Road Safety Commission chairman, Jean-Pierre Moreau.
[read more] |
[IN BRIEF]
Antonio Tajani is the new Transport Commissioner. On June 18 MEPs voted in favour of the appointment of Antonio Tajani as the new Italian Commissioner to be responsible for transport. This change follows the resignation of the previous Italian member of the Commission, who is now Foreign Minister in the Italian government. Commission President José Manuel Barroso asked Jacques Barrot of France, who has been Vice-President of the Commission since 2004, to take over as Commissioner for Freedom Security and Justice, while Mr Barrot's former responsibility for transport passes to Mr Tajani. Before the vote of the European Parliament, the two Commissioners faced hearings before the relevant Parliamentary committees.
London to open bus lanes to motorcyclists. Motorcyclists will be able to share bus lanes under plans unveiled by London’s newly elected Mayor Boris Johnson. Transport for London will develop a scheme to allow motorcyclists on the lanes. A similar move proved successful in Bristol, Bath and in other British towns. The report shows this change would considerably reduce accidents. The study actually demonstrated that allowing motorcyclists to use bus lanes resulted in a reduction in collisions of more than 40%. After reading the report Mr Johnson has told TFL to go ahead with plans to extend the scheme across London. The report was completed in September 2007 after a three year experiment. MCIA defended the conclusions of the report leading a succesful campaign in support of PTW users' safety.
CEN to improve guardrails standards taking motorcyclists into account. The European Committee for Standardization's Technical Committee on Road Equipment (TC226) will “develop a European Standard, which reduces the impact severity of motorcyclist collisions with safety barriers, considering the existing national standards and the possibilities of present day technologies”. In concrete terms, a new part (8th) is to be added to the existing standard EN1317. It will contain “provisions for the evaluation of the performance of safety barriers under impact by a powered two-wheeled vehicle (PTW) rider sliding along the ground”. A draft standard should be ready by next year and adopted after
internal procedure by October 2010.
EUROPEAN ROAD SAFETY DAY. In the context of the ERSD organised by the European Commission (13 October) a special event will be dedicated to motorcyclists. Revolving around the theme "Road Safety in Our Cities" this year's edition of the European Road Safety day tackles the problems of road users in cities: car drivers, lorry and bus drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians. [read more]
1st French Motorcycle and Scooter Day. The first Journée Nationale de la Moto et du Scooter has been annouced for September 9th. This event revolves around three main themes, the environment, safety and citizenship and aims at demonstrating that PTWs are cheap, more and more safe, practical comfortable, and that they are a sustainable solution to urban mobility. [www.journee-motoscooter.fr] |
