MAG fights diesel spills

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) is putting pressure of garages to display stickers warning of the dangers of diesel spills.

Thousands of ‘Diesel Spill’ stickers have been placed on pumps and trucks throughout the UK to remind drivers to replace fuel caps properly, but the group is still meeting resistance from forecourt staff, supermarket chains and oil companies. There is no legal requirement for fuel caps to be secured with chains or designed so ignition keys cannot be withdrawn from them unless they are properly secured.

“Despite extensive capaigning on the danger of diesel spills for motorcyclsists, the situation doesn’t seem to have been resolved,” said MAG’s Trevor Baird. “How hard is it for diesel tanks to be designed so that diesel cannot spill out of tanks or caps designed to prevent the problem. It’s not rocket science.”

MAG are also unhappy that spills are not being cleared from highways correctly with road authorities continuing to use sand and stone chippings. These create a further hazard for motorcyclists.