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[mart]

Hi- see below press release from MAG re Birmingham CAZ- worth joining as they do great work:

News from the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG)

MAG wins charge exemption for motorcycles of all ages in Birmingham
City’s Clean Air Zone.

This version: 2018 09 10

The Motorcycle Action Group has won a landmark campaign to gain
exemption for motorcycles of all ages from Birmingham City Council’s
Clean Air Zone (CAZ).

At a special meeting of the Cabinet today, Birmingham City Council has
approved its CAZ business case submission. Once approved by Government,
the proposal can be implemented with the launch of the zone scheduled
for January 2020.

Birmingham is the first authority outside London to propose the “class
D” clean air zone model that allows for charging of all vehicles
including private transport. The Motorcycle Action Group has
consistently argued that motorcycles act within the transport system as
net reducers of congestion and pollution, pointing to studies that
demonstrate that a simple 10% modal shift from single-occupancy cars to
motorcycles and scooters will yield a 40% reduction in congestion for
all road users and result in a 7.5% reduction in CO2, a 5.5% reduction
in NO2 and a 20% reduction in particulate matter.

MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said:
“We are delighted that our campaign has resulted in the proposal to
exempt all motorcycles from charges in the zone. This is a decision
that will impact riders not just in Birmingham, but throughout the
country. Birmingham City Council has recognised and accepted our
position that motorcycles are net reducers of harmful emissions and thus
should be exempt from charges.

“I have found Birmingham City Council to be informed, serious about
their emissions policy development and capable of understanding the
science, and credit to them for taking such a mature view.

“This decision sets the precedent for all future CAZ proposals in other
parts of the country, demonstrating a clear endorsement of the fact that
motorcycles contribute to improving air quality.”

“The exemption from charges is a vital first step towards a policy to
positively promote modal shift to motorcycles. There is pioneering work
on this policy being done already in Northamptonshire, and we look
forward to discussing with Birmingham City Council and Transport for
West Midlands how application of this policy in the region will
accelerate the journey towards compliance of legal targets for NO2
emissions. Achieving this goal will remove the threat of fines for
non-compliance and benefit the entire community.”

Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Lembit Opik, said: “This
excellent result in the West Midlands now has significant implications
for the legitimacy of the poor decisions being made in the Capital. We
will be continuing our efforts to persuade Sadiq Khan to reverse the
illogical and counterproductive charging of pre-Euro 3 motorcycles in
his Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) due to come into effect in April 2019.”

Chairman of the Motorcycle Action Group, Selina Lavender, said “We are
thrilled with this outcome, the result of much hard work by MAG’s
political unit and the support of MAG members and supporters. We thank
the efforts of all those who supported our campaign, signed the petition
and responded as individuals to the consultation. Working together we
can see great results, not just for riders, but for the whole community.”



Contact MAG at 01926 844 064 or [email protected]

ENDS

[Valsp]

How much longer will motorcyclists claim to be green. I can carry 5 people in my car getting more miles per gallon than most bikes and tyres that last around 15 to 20 thousand miles a year not 1500 miles or less like some riders.

They only plus is they take up less space on the road but in most cities motorcyclists, particularly couriers and delivery bike, are ridden too fast and in only what can be described as a dangerous manner.

I own 4 classic bikes and a classic car but to suggest that they should be totally exempt from charging in clean air areas is ridiculous.

[Rattlebattle]

And of course you do carry four passengers every time you use your car, just like everyone else and your classic bikes and car emit only lavender oil, I suppose while you trundle along the road holding everyone else up. Whilst I agree that bikes are not totally green (what is, if you take into account whole life costs from extracting raw materials to destruction at end of life?) I feel that MAG has achieved an excellent result that I hope can be replicated in cities elsewhere. The fact that bikes are not just stuck in traffic jams emitting noxious exhaust fumes helps their case. I am no big fan of some aspects of MAG but they at least do work effectively for the benefit of riders and are the best we've got since the BMF imploded several years ago.

[Adrian]

That's very good news as far as it goes, Birmingham's decision is a useful precedent outside the capital, but getting pre-Euro3 bikes exempted in London would be the bigger prize.



Ref Valsp's point, if classic vehicles are tax and now MOT exempt, why not CAZ exempt too? Would there really be enough of them on the road at any one time, compared to other vehicles, to cause a serious pollution hazard? And how many of those dangerously-ridden courier/delivery bikes are classics? I suspect the majority of them are Euro3, which came into force in the UK Nearly ten years ago, though I will respect evidence to the contrary.



A.

[Valsp]

A spirited reply Rattleblade but a bit rich stating "trundle along the road holding everyone else ". You have no idea what bikes and car I have or how I ride. The only thing I would say without wishing to offend anyone is I don't have anything as slow as a bullet - even a new one! Anyone who has been to Asia will be aware that getting everyone onto motorcycles does nothing for the air quality. The point is why shouldn't motorcyclists pay if their bike does not meet the air quality standard. The idea of the charge is to encourage the use of less polluting forms of transport whatever they may be. The question of how much is another matter

[Beezabryan]

In reality these alleged save the earth CAZ or whatever are in reality another prettily gift wrapped source of revenue.

[Wheaters]

I no longer ride a motorcycle to work (although for many years I used to, and for some years, a pedal cycle) because these days it just isn't practical for me, so I drive a car when commuting. My bikes are now just for recreation.

Having to drive on the M1 every working day, as I must, has become a major problem because of roadworks for "improvements" (been going on now for most of the 17 years I've worked at the current location). There must be thousands of cars in stop/start conditions at peak times and I often wonder how much volume of fuel is being wasted at times like this and how bad the emissions from it all must be. Quite a few motorcyclists manage to weave a way through in stationary traffic and I wish I could do the same. I'm surprised how many motorists seem to go out of their way to disallow this (The usual British "I'm queuing so I'm going to make you do it too!" attitude). A stationary vehicle, irrespective of fuel type, will use a disproportionate amount of fuel when setting off and then braking again. A motorcycle, which can keep moving, might not have as sophisticated a set of emissions equipment, but it won't waste as much fuel through stopping and starting.

Let the bikers through, I say - if they had driven a car they would have set off before you and you would be queuing behind them!

Btw, Having worked in Asia I can confirm that it's by no means unusual to see a family of four or five, plus the dog, plus shopping, all travel together on a Honda step through!

[Rattlebattle]

Yes, Valsp my response was a bit over the top; my apologies. Your comment about my not knowing what classic bikes/car you have is well founded; you, however, make the same sweeping assertion about other types of rider riding too fast and ignore the point that most cars only have a driver unless car sharing is rewarded. No offence intended.

[ric]

This is indeed good news for the inhabitants of Birmingham, they have enough problems already

[Valsp]

Rattleblade. No offence taken. As always these things are never straightforward