Anger at anti-bike stats

Carey-Clinch, who is the MCI Director of Public Affairs, said; ‘Quite clearly, all this alarmist talk about bike casualties increasing is quite simply a load of rubbish, which is being perpetuated by a number of high profile safety and cycling campaigners for reasons best known to themselves. Their views are misleading, anti motorcycle and could have a negative impact on efforts to further improve motorcycle safety.

“The last thing we need right now is a climate of fear about motorcycle safety generated by people who should know better. The key to rider safety is further measures to integrate motorcycling into London’s transport infrastructure and provide for rider needs – not biker vilification and anti-motorcycle ‘Bikeism’ from the so called ‘experts’.

And he singled out Wetzel.

“Clearly Mr Wetzel’ views are completely wide of the mark..His own organisation, TfL, has produced some of the most forward thinking motorcycling initiatives in the country, which – almost uniquely in the UK – have led to a direct fall in rider casualties in 2003. MCI suggests that instead of releasing ill-informed comments to the media, Mr Wetzel engages with the balanced motorcycle safety agenda that TfL itself are developing and starts dealing in a sensible way with motorcycle riders and industry. If we are to see long term improvements to rider safety, there is simply no room for this kind of negative opinion about biking.”

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Alarmist claims that it’s becoming more dangerous to ride have been dismissed as “quite simply, rubbish,” by an angry Motorcycle Industry Association.

Spokesman Craig Carey-Clinch has hit back after another batch of statistic-twisting in the mainstream media. This week Transport for London’s Vice Chair, Dave Wetzel, questioned the value of the motorcycle exemption from the congestion charge. He did so after claiming motorcycling was getting more dangerous in London. Click here for the full story.

But Carey-Clinch said that is a myth.

The MCI, which represents the industry in the UK, points out that the TfL’s own statistics show that in 2003 the total number of motorcycle casualties in London fell by 8.1%, with deaths falling by 5% and serious injuries by 6%. In the congestion charging zone, casualties fell by around 13%, accompanied by a 20% increase in motorcycle use – demonstrating the road safety value of the charging exemption riders enjoy.

The casualty rate is actually falling, with the chances of a rider having an accident also falling.

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