Issued 11th October 2006   Road Infrastructure for ALL Road Users at Last!

On Thursday October 5th, the European Commission presented two new proposals for directives aimed at improving safety on European roads. FEMA welcomes both proposals which finally consider motorcyclists’ needs.

Last week the European Commission published two new proposals aimed at improving road safety in order to reach the 2010 target of halving the number of fatalities on European roads.

The first draft directive of road safety management establishes procedures relating to road safety impact assessments, road safety audits and safety inspections. It specifically requires the adoption of guidelines on infrastructure safety management and leaves the details of their implementation to Member States.

The second directive provides for existing heavy vehicles to be equipped with "blind spot mirrors", aimed at protecting vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists.

FEMA welcomes the fact that motorcyclists are finally recognised as “vulnerable road users” and that the needs of motorcyclists, along with those of pedestrians and cyclists, must be taken into account in all phases of the planning, design, maintenance and operation of road infrastructure.

This harmonisation of Member States legislation on road safety assessment, audits, management and inspections, will finally provide common instruments to strengthen safety and to maximise the benefit to road users and the public at large.

FEMA took part in both consultative procedures and applauds the Commission’s inclusion of motorcyclists’ views.

These two new proposals appear to contribute to a new, more realistic and comprehensive approach to the EU road safety debate and FEMA is encouraged by this directive which demonstrates that European motorcyclists’ positions on road infrastructure have finally been considered.

END


Issued by
Christina Gesios
 

Note to editors:

Safety Management of Roads proposal: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/roadsafety/infrastructure/safety_mgnt_en.htm

Vehicle safety proposal: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/roadsafety/vehicle_safety/introduction_en.htm

FEMA - Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations
Rue des Champs 62, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 736 9047 / Fax: +32 (0)2 736 9401
www.fema.ridersrights.org