The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) have expressed their serious concerns to the Home Office regarding their proposals to increase, by almost 300%, the statutory charges for the removal, storage and disposal of motorcycles by the police.
Under the current arrangements the police can charge £105 for the recovery of a motorcycle considered to be abandoned illegally, dangerously or obstructively parked, or broken down. They can then charge up to £12 a day for storage until the motorcycle is reclaimed by its rightful owner.
Under new Home Office proposals bikers would be charged £300 for the recovery of the machine and £15 per day storage. This will not only affect riders involved in road crashes but will also affect those who have had their motorcycle stolen and subsequently recovered, adding to the misery, cost and inconvenience to the owner.
Responding to the consultation which closes today, Friday the 25th January MAG has highlighted the totally unjustified 300% increase and brought to the attention of the Home Office failures in communication between the police, insurers, and the recovery companies which results in unnecessary delays in the release of impounded bikes and escalating costs incurred by the biker.
David Short, MAG Campaigns Manager, says, “The proposed charges are totally out of proportion to reality and the increase from the current £105 to £300 is totally unjustified.”
“There are too many examples of bikers who have been victims of motorcycle theft who have then had huge recovery and storage costs charged by the police because of a lack of communication between the police and the victim of the crime.”
“This also applies to bikers who have been involved in road crashes and who have not had the opportunity to make their own arrangements to recover their crashed bike”
“MAG will be making the strongest representations to have these proposed rip off charges consigned to the bin”
Ends
Notes for Editors
1. Proposed Charges Here
2. View Original Consultation – Home Office website Here
For further information contact: David Short
Tel: +44 (0) 1347 822214
Mobile: +44 (0) 7738 948080
E-mail: campaigns-manager@mag-uk.org
Issued by
Trevor Baird
General Secretary (MAG UK)
Tel: +44 (0)1788 570065
Fax: +44 (0)1788 570052
Email: general-secretary@mag-uk.org
The UK’s Leading Riders’ Rights Organisation