[EDITORIAL]
Dear Reader,
the economic crisis is starting to take its toll. After several months of talking and worrying, evidence is finally confirming the forecasts. This situation requires initiatives at European and National levels to assess the damages and take proper action.
Governments are taking different approaches, depending also on the size of their national markets. The case of Italy is emblematic. A 500€ bonus for a new PTW not only had the merit of renewing part of the fleet with greener, more efficient vehicles, but it vigorously counteracted the negative trend of the previous months bringing the sector back on the positive track.
Spain, on the contrary has been deaf to the combined calls for action from the manufacturers and from the dealers. Second only to Italy in terms of market size, seat of many production facilities which employ hundreds of workers, Spain is suffering from the effects of the crisis, seeing a reduction of sales (-25% in 2008) as well as a first hard wave of lay-offs. Despite the strong messages coming from Anesdor, the Spanish trade association, nothing has been done so far. With thousands of jobs at risk or already cut, chances of recovery will be in jeopardy, if this line is to be further pursued.
Let me turn to lighter topics now. In 2009 ACEM celebrates and important milestone: fifteen years of presence in Brussels, supporting the motorcycle industry and successfully taking its place on the "Brussels map". In the course of this first part of our history, we have grown enlarging our membership, developing our reputation, visibility and reliability. We now look forward to build on these solid foundations, however hard the outlook might seem today.
Enjoy your reading!
Jacques Compagne
Acem Secretary General
[REPORT]
ACEM General Assembly in Bologna
15th Anniversary marked by calls for supporting actions
Motorcycle Manufacturers and National Associations from 13 EU countries gathered last March in Bologna, Italy, for their annual General Assembly. Marked by its 15th anniversary and hosted by Ducati at its manufacturing facility, the PTW industry congress focussed on the evaluation of the economic crisis. ACEM General Assembly announced that the PTW industry will call - where needed - for similar measures to those devised by the European Commission for the car sector.
[read more]
[NEWS]
Government action reverts market decline in Italy
The incentives policy devised for the PTW industry triggererd a +7.8% rise in March.
March brought a major reversal in trend for sales in Italy with 49,682 units (+7.8%) over the same month in 2008. In particular, registrations totalled 42,725 units, corresponding to an improvement of 14.6%. From a detailed analysis of the various segments, however, we find that while scooters grew significantly, with 29,542 units (+35,5%), motorcycles continued to decline, albeit to a lesser extent compared to the first two months of the year, with 13,183 vehicles (-14.8%). 50cc units continued to suffer, in the absence of an incentive program, with 6,957 units (-21.1%). In the first quarter of 2009, we are still ca 14,000 registrations (-15.5%) and 8,000 mopeds (-34%) short.
[read more]
[NEWS]
The British industry calls on government to boost market confidence in PTWs
CO2 credentials also to be recognised
The UK motorcycle industry is asking government to suspend vehicle excise duty (VED or road tax) and the first registration fee on all new mopeds, scooters and motorcycles for a minimum of one year to support the market and recognise the green advantages of motorcycling.
[read more]
[NEWS]
MAIDS 2.0
A new comparison between mopeds and motorcycles for this updated edition of the report
Version 2.0 of the MAIDS Study is now available on www.maids-study.eu.
It includes a new presentation of the data with a split between mopeds (L1 vehicles) and motorcycle (L3) in both chapters, chapter 3.0 General Accident Characteristics and Chapter 10.0 Rationale for Action.
Furthermore ACEM published the Multivariate Analysis of Fatal Accident in MAIDS. This report describes the results of a multivariate analysis of the in-depth motorcycle accident data collected during the MAIDS project. Data have been presented according to all powered two wheeler (PTW), as well as L1 and L3 vehicle categories where appropriate.
[read more]
[Future of Transport]
Stakeholders’ Conference on the Future of Transport
The European Commission looks at the priorities and opportunities with a 2050 horizon
Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, in charge of European transport policy, convened a High Level Conference on 9-10 March in Brussels to gather stakeholders' views on the main challenges and opportunities for the transport sector in the very long term (20 to 40 years).
[read more]
[URBAN MOBILITY]
Paris bets on PTWs
City Council Incentives to boost the use of electric PTWs
The City of Paris has launched a campaign granting up to €400 for the purchase of new electric PTWs (up to 25% of the purchase price inclusive of VAT). The aim is to encourage the use of electrically powered two-wheeled vehicles, which are considered as a sustainable solution to congestion and pollution. A network of 40 terminals set up by the Paris City Hall will allow for free battery recharges.
[read more]
[URBAN MOBILITY]
Costs of urban transport in Italy
Two surveys highlight the costs in terms of time and money met by Italian car drivers due to congestion and poor management
Forty billion euros a year. This is the sum paid by Italian motorists to traffic. The time lost in urban congestion, bottled in cars is paid for dearly according to a survey carried out in four major Italian cities (Rome, Milan, Turin and Genoa) by the Italian Automobile Club. This users organisation analyzed data collected from vehicles equipped with GPS location devices. The picture comong out of this study unveils some disturbing realities. Roman and Milanese car drivers spend more than 500 hours a year in their cars. And it takes them about 60 minutes for an average town travel, half of it lost in jams and slowdowns.
[read more]
|
