Bikers could face Europe MOT test

FRENCH motorcyclists could be forced to undergo a two-yearly car-type contrôle technique after Euro-MPs voted to add powered two-wheelers to the plans for tougher Europe-wide vehicle testing.

At present the annual machine check, which is similar to the MOT in the UK, is not necessary for motorcycles on cost grounds but European safety authorities have been pushing for increasingly strict measures to be applied to all road vehicles.

Last month European Commission vice-president Siim Kallas said at a road safety conference in Brussels that “there are simply too many vehicles with technical defects on the road” and added that they wanted to introduce Road Worthiness Testing across the EU.

Last night the European Parliament voted through the measures to include motorcycles – which had been excluded as there was no evidence that they were affected – although Euro-MPs also referred the proposal back to the TRAN (Transport and Tourism) committee as there is widespread opposition to the move.

If introduced, bikes would face a contrôle technique after four years and then every two years – despite French Euro-MPs voting against the plan and the Council of Europe rejecting it.