13th July 2013
On 13th July 2012 the European commission announced its proposal for European wide Road Worthiness Testing (RWT) for PTWs (Powered Two Wheelers – motorcycles, scooters and mopeds).
For UK Riders there will be no change for UK riders at all.
The status quo remains.
Key elements of the new proposals include
- Compulsory EU wide testing for scooters and motorbikes. Motorbike and scooter riders, particularly young riders, are the highest risk group of road users.
- Increasing the frequency of periodic roadworthiness tests for old vehicles. Between 5 and 6 years, the number of serious accidents related to technical failure increases dramatically (see graph in MEMO/12/555 attached).
- Increasing the frequency of tests for cars and vans with exceptionally high mileage.
This will bring their tests in line with other high mileage vehicles such as taxis, ambulances etc.
- Improving the quality of vehicle tests by setting common minimum standards for deficiencies, equipment and inspectors.
- Making electronic safety components subject to mandatory testing.
- Clamping down on mileage fraud, with registered mileage readings.
In all cases, the proposals set common EU wide minimum standards for vehicle checks, with Member States free to go further if appropriate.
For UK Riders there will be no change for UK riders at all.
The status quo remains.
Changes for private motorists / by country:
No Change indicated by the colour green
Introduction of RWT for motorcycles indicated by the colour red
Introduction of additional testing for older motorcycles indicated by the colour blue
New vehicle testing 4 – 2 – 1 and changes for private motorists
current test periodicity*
Member States Cars
Motorcycles
Scooters
Changes for private motorists
1 Austria 3 – 2 – 1
1 – 1 – 1
no changes 2 Belgium 4 – 1 – 1
no tests
no changes for cars; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 3 Bulgaria 3 – 2 – 1
no tests
no changes for cars; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 4 Cyprus 4 – 2 – 2
no tests
older cars will be tested every year; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 5 Czech Republic 4 – 2 – 2
4 – 2 – 2
older cars will be tested every year; older motorcycles and scooter will be tested every year 6 Denmark 4 – 2 – 2
4 – 2 – 2
older cars will be tested every year; older motorcycles and scooter will be tested every year 7 Estonia 3 – 2 – 2 – 2- 1
3 – 2 – 2 – 2- 1
testing of cars, motorcycles and scooters will be every year as of the 6th year (instead as of 10th year) 8 Finland 3 – 2 – 1
no tests
no changes for cars; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 9 France 4 – 2 – 2
no tests
older cars will be tested every year; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 10 Germany 3 – 2 – 2
2 – 2 – 2
older cars will be tested every year; older motorcycles and scooter will be tested every year 11 Greece 4 – 2 – 2
no tests
older cars will be tested every year; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 12 Hungary 4 – 3 – 2 – 2
3 – 3 – 2 – 2°
older cars will be tested every year; older motorcycles will be tested every year and testing for scooters will be introduced 13 Ireland 4 – 2 – 2
no tests
older cars will be tested every year; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 14
Italy4 – 2 – 2
4 – 2 – 2
older cars will be tested every year; older motorcycles and scooter will be tested every year 15 Latvia 1 – 1 – 1
1 – 1 – 1°
no change for cars and motorcycles; testing for scooters will be introduced 16 Lithuania 3 – 2 – 2
1 – 1 – 1
older cars will be tested every year, no change for motorcycles and scooter 17 Luxemburg 3.5 – 1 – 1
3.5 – 1 – 1
no changes 18 Malta 1 – 1 – 1
no tests
no changes for cars; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 19 Netherlands 4 – 2 – 2 – 1
no tests
testing of cars will be every year as of the 6th year (instead as of 9th year); motorcycles and scooters will be tested 20 Poland 3 – 2 – 1
3 – 2 – 1°
no changes for cars and motorcycles; testing for scooters will be introduced 21 Portugal 4 – 2 – 2 – 1
no tests
testing of cars will be every year as of the 6th year (instead as of 9th year); motorcycles and scooters will be tested 22 Romania 2 – 2 – 2
no tests
older cars will be tested every year; testing for motorcycles and scooters will be introduced 23 Slovakia 3 -1 – 1
4 – 2 – 2
no changes for cars, older motorcycles and scooters will be tested every year 24 Slovenia 3 – 2 – 2
3 – 1 – 1
no changes 25 Spain 4 – 2 – 2 – 1
5 – 2 – 2
testing of cars will be every year as of the 6th year (instead as of 9th year);older motorcycles and scooters will be tested every year 26 Sweden 3 – 2 – 1
4 – 2 – 2
no change for cars; older motorcycles and scooters will be tested every year 27 UK 3 – 1 – 1
3 – 1 – 1
no changes * Periodicity 4-2-1 means first test after 4 years, next test after 2 years, afterward tests every year.
° Scooters currently not tested.
Information & Links
Right To Ride – specific updates regarding PTI – Click Here
The European Commission Proposal -pdf – Click Here
Full info from European Commission – Click Here
European Commission Press Release – On-Line – Brussels – 13 July 2012 – Road safety: Tougher vehicle testing rules to save lives – Click Here
European Commission Press Release – Brussels – 13 July 2012 – Road safety: Tougher vehicle testing rules to save lives – pdf 68kb – Click Here
European Commission Press Memo – Brussels – 13 July 2012 – Road Safety: The Roadworthiness Package – Tougher vehicle checks to save lives – pdf 119kb – Click Here
