Parliament wants all motorcycles to be subject to regular technical checks

The European Parliament is urging the European Commission to consider mandating regular technical inspections for all motorcycles in all EU Member States when vehicle roadworthiness rules are revised in 2023.  Only motorcycles above 125cc are required to be checked under rules on regular technical inspections today, though many EU member states require checks on such vehicles anyway.

In a report approved by the Parliament’s online plenary session on 3 March, parliamentarians set out a number of changes they would like to see that would make safety checks more wide-ranging and in line with new technology.

As well as calling for official technical checks on motorcycles of less than 125cc, MEPs said high mileage motorcycles, used for deliveries of food or packages or as motorcycle taxis, should also be checked more frequently.  And cars used for such purposes should also be subject to checks more often.  Only car taxis and ambulances are required by EU law to pass such additional checks today.

MEPs also want technical checks to move with the times, including testing of emergency call systems (eCall) and new safety technologies that will be required from 2022 such as automated emergency braking systems (AEB) and Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA).  Checks could be used to screen for technical failures or tampering.

The European Commission announced that roadworthiness testing rules would be revised in 2023 in its Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, published in December 2020.

• Last year a European Commission funded report by TRL recommended that motorcycles with engines below 125cc should be fitted with anti-lock braking systems, as such a change would be highly cost beneficial due to the number of injuries and deaths potentially avoided.