Road Worthiness Testing – Background

Affecting Riders in Northern Ireland – R – MOT

9th September 2010

The purpose of the EU Commission consultation is to seek views on possible new policies in this area and to gather relevant information from both the public as road users and vehicle owners, as well as the industries and public authorities affected:  manufacturers, haulage companies, police, licensing authorities and others.

This is within the existing common framework for Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI) for all vehicles. At present, there is no systematic mutual recognition of PTI due to the absence of a fully harmonised testing system throughout Europe.  The quality of national testing varies across EU countries, which according to the EU Commission, creates obstacles to the internal market, leading to environmental problems, affecting road safety and contributing to the administrative burden.

Furthermore, not all member states in the European Union have Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI) for motorcycles, scooters and mopeds and therefore the Commission is looking:

  • “to extend EU legislation on road worthiness testing/inspections to motorbikes and other powered two wheelers” (in ALL EU countries).

Northern Ireland already has a system of MoT (Road Worthiness Testing/Periodical Technical Inspection) in place, which is operated by a government agency – Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) – and carries out 900,000 roadworthiness checks a year on cars and motorcycles, light goods vehicles, trailers, large passenger carrying vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, buses and taxis.

Therefore, we will be concentrating on how this legislation will affect riders in Northern Ireland.

Specifically we will focus on the DOE’s recent “Consultation on Preparing a ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY for Northern Ireland 2010-2020 20/20 Vision: Driving Forward Road Safety”, in relation to the EU’s consultation regarding type-approval requirements for Powered Two-Wheelers and the EU Road Safety Action Programme (RSAP) 2011-2020 which is considering improvements on vehicle safety, the safety of infrastructure and road users’ behaviour at European and national level.

From the “ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY for Northern Ireland 2010-2020 20/20 Vision: Driving Forward Road Safety” the proposed measures are:

  • the introduction of continuous MoT requirements.
  • the development of additional measures, including more random enforcement and roadside vehicle checks, to encourage continuous vehicle maintenance to ensure roadworthiness.
  • We will introduce a statutory requirement for vehicles over testable age to hold a valid test certificate at all times unless excused under limited exemptions.
  • We will increase enforcement of roadworthiness standards.
  • We will integrate our approach to the detection and enforcement of vehicle testing, insurance and licensing requirements with conjoined prosecution procedures.
  • We will continue to pursue the seizure of untaxed and uninsured vehicles and seek to introduce the power to seize a vehicle being driven without a valid MoT certificate where one is required.
  • We will create a dedicated team of Vehicle Examiners to inspect vehicles involved in serious collisions supported by improved legislative provision and an appropriate Service Level Agreement with PSNI.
  • We will introduce Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) as an alternative to European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) as provided for in the Motor Vehicle Type Approval Framework Directive 2007/46/EC; for cars, buses, goods vehicles and trailers. Mandatory implementation will be on a phased basis dependent on vehicle category from 2010- 2015.

Information

EU – Road Safety Action Programme (RSAP) 2011-2020 – Click Here 

Right To Ride – EU Regulating Biking – Click Here 

Right To Ride – DOE Road Safety – Click Here 

The Others*

Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA)

“The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) believes that the decision to implement periodical inspections for motorcycles should remain at national level to adapt to the specific needs of the different fleets.”

“The implementation of periodical inspections of motorcycles would only achieve marginal benefits, while the economic burden created would by far outweigh the positive aspects. FEMA hence rejects any proposal to harmonise periodical inspection in Europe.”

Click Here 

Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK)

“Fresh EU plans announced yesterday could mean super-MoT, roadside spot checks for bikes and further restrictions on bike modification.”

“MAG supports the pan-European campaign for individual countries to continue to determine their own national requirements for vehicle testing.”

Click Here 

MAG Ireland

“Periodic Technical Inspection – or “NCT for bikes” – has been proposed by the EU as a means of reducing motorcycle casualties.”

“MAG Ireland opposes the imposition of Periodic Technical Inspections.”

Click Here 

ACEM – The Motorcycle Industry In Europe

“Periodic inspections reduce the incidence of safety related defects to tyres, brakes and lights, particularly those of which the owner is unaware of and are likely to discourage tampering of mopeds.”

“Periodic inspection will reduce the use of illegal RESS.” (Exhaust systems)

“Therefore, proposal to apply intervals of 4 years after the first registration and then every 2 years as a minimum requirement.”

Roadworthiness Test For Mopeds And Motorcycles – A proposal from Industry – ACEM – 2009 – pdf 291kb

Click Here 

Back Roads Rider

“Those nice European Commission people are busting a gut awaiting the proposals from the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry (DG Enterprise) on a framework regulation(s) which may include extending anti-tampering/modification measures, emissions, noise checks and a move towards a harmonised EU wide motorcycle MoT.”

“But there’s a teensy-weensy problem, no one has worked out what exactly the European Commissions proposed proposals are likely to be or what effect any proposals could or may have on a harmonised EU MoT.”

Click Here 

The Others – Recommendations – What We Face!

Read our page on what we face from a report – AUTOFORE – Study on the Future Options for Roadworthiness Enforcement in the European Union – 2007 – by an international consortium led by CITA and made up of research bodies associated with a number of CITA members, academic institutions and independent consultants.

It was steered by a committee of the sponsors, the partners and a large number of CITA members and included the European Commission, who awarded the AUTOFORE consortium a grant of €300,000 towards the cost.

CITA represents public and private sector organisations throughout the world,  it has produced its (biased) views on motorcycling  through a study (AUTOFORE) funded by the European Commission.

It is no wonder that we are now facing the possibility of European wide MoT inspections for motorcycles or a stricter and more costly inspection to the one that exists without proven benefits.

Click Here 

Coming Up

Cars 2010 – European Conference on Vehicle Inspection and Mileage Fraud – 17th – 18th November 2010 – includes:

Should the 2-wheelers be included in the inspection schemes as they are over represented in accident statistics?

Inspection of motorcycles and mopeds

  • History at European level – Isabelle Kardacz – European Commission – DG MOVE
  • The motorcycle industry’s perspective – Antonio Perlot – ACEM
  • Roadworthiness test for motorcycles and mopeds: an example from a member state

Information – Click Here 

Our Thoughts – Our Comments

The first day of this conference is to exchange information and good practices between Member States and receive the point of view of the Commission and the motorcycle industry and an example from a member state.

So the question regarding motorcycles is should they be included in inspection schemes?

The European Commission is working on a new legislative framework for vehicle inspection!

The motorcycle industry is promoting the inclusion of PTWs in the scope of the Directive.

A member state is presenting, no doubt, the advantages of  including motorcycles and mopeds in roadworthiness testing.

The purpose of the previously mentioned EU Commission consultation regarding, Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI) is to seek views on possible new policies in this area.

Has the European Commission already made up its mind up?

What will be included in a “new” MoT when a rider actually presents their motorcycle to be tested?

Nobody appears to know – although ACEM have put forward proposals! (See presentation above)

If you feel you need to answer the consultation you can use the following details below.