Euro MPs support protest

Saturday’s MCN, BMF and MAG demo ride to Brussels has resulted in fresh support from Euro MPs in our battle to force a re-think on off-putting new licensing laws for learner riders.
Riders from other European countries joined around 300 UK motorcyclists in the October 1 protest against the introduction of ‘The Third European CommunityDriving Licence Directive’.
The Directive receives its Second Reading by the European Parliament’s Council of Ministers on Thursday (October 6).
Trevor Magner, the BMF’s Senior Government Relations Executive, said: “Motorcycling is often under threat but this latest directive is an ill-founded and discriminatory piece of legislation. Luckily, the MEPs who have contacted us are prepared to stand up to this sort of thing and now we might just get it halted.”
The Directive would mean the minimum age for riding motorcycles over 125cc would go up from 17 to 19 and the age level for direct access to a larger bike would soar from 21 to 24 . New categories of motorcycle licences involving two-yearly steps between bikes of different engine sizes and extra riding tests between steps would also be introduced. No one has provided any evidence that any of the changes would result in safety benefits.
The BMF is now arranging briefing meetings with supporting MEPs.