No Chips for Bikers

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) abandons proposals to chip motorcycle number plates.

The DVLA have announced that they will not be seeking government approval to fit micro chip Electronic Vehicle Identification, (EVI) to motorcycle number plates. The DVLA had embarked on a feasibility study, including field trials, to determine the effectiveness of EVI as a means of combating motorcycle vehicle excise evasion.

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) was consulted on the project and voiced concerns that the cost to introduce such a system would far outweigh the monies recouped in excise duty. MAG also expressed concern that the proposal to single out motorcycles was discriminatory.

In a report released by the DVLA today the conclusion to the study is that the cost of introducing EVI for all motorcycles would cost in the region of ñ00 million and would only provide a return of approximately ò7 million for HM treasury. The report concludes that advances in ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology render the use of EVI unnecessary.

The report comes days after the DVLA issued an apology for wrongly estimating the level of motorcycle VED evasion at 40%, a gross overestimation of the actual rate which is 6%.

MAG Campaigns Manager said, ԉ am pleased that common sense has prevailed and that the DVLA has listened to and acted on motorcyclists concerns. EVI was a sledgehammer to crack a nut and the proposals to only include motorcyclists is discriminatory. MAG does not in any way condone motorcyclists who choose to ride their bikes without tax and will continue to work with motorcyclists, government, the police and the DVLA to eradicate VED evasion.

For further information or comment contact:
David Short
Email campaigns-manager@mag-uk.org

The UK's Leading Riders' Rights Organisation
www.mag-uk.org

VED Evasion – True Figures

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) challenged figures released in a recent Parliamentary Committee of Public Accounts report which suggested that motorcycle VED evasion rates were as high as 40%.

This headline grabbing figure was picked up by the national media which portrayed motorcyclists as habitual law breakers and VED duty evaders. MAG challenge the claim which it describes as irresponsible in stereotyping motorcyclists as law breakers.

Today’s release of information from the Department of Transport into the true levels of VED indicates that motorcycle VED evasion is estimated at 6.5% compared to 2.5% VED evasion for all other vehicle types. Very different to the 40% figure for motorcycle VED evasion previously bandied about.

MAG Campaigns Manager, David Short, says, "MAG does not condone in any way those who ride their bikes without tax. The overwhelming majority of bikers are law abiding and pay their dues as responsible citizens. It is therefore very galling when figures put out by government, as the public accounts committee did, that motorcycle VED evasion was up to 40% despite dubious methodologies used to arrive at this fantasy figure. Clearly it is still too high but it is not the all out snub to society as it was previously suggested'.

Notes

1. Department for Transport (DfT) report here www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/vehicles/excisedutyevasion

2. David Short, MAG Campaigns Manager can be contacted on:

Email: campaigns-manager@mag-uk

Motorcycle Tax Evasion - Its Not Right

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) remain sceptical of the claim in a recent report that 40% of bikers evade paying VED. Anecdotal visual studies carried out by the group at motorcycle events do not reflect anything remotely like this level of non compliance.

Unfortunately the media has jumped on this unreliable and suspect headline figure to brand motorcyclists as law breakers.

The report, from the House of Commons, Committee of Public Accounts, itself acknowledges that the methodology used to capture the data is suspect.

A recent series of expensive TV adverts advised us that the DVLA do not have to look on the road or in garages but simply at computer screens in order to identify tax evaders.

If this is the case then let them get on with it and fine all these defaulters. If it is not the case and the DVLA were completely wrong then it begs the question – are they wrong about the level of evasion?

MAG makes no apologies for those who fail to tax vehicles and will happily work with the DVLA to enable them to make an accurate assessment of evasion rates.

MAG recognises however that for all road users road tax has lost its credibility. When it was used to improve roads motorists could see the benefit. However, when it just disappears into the black hole of the treasury, people become sceptical and the whole system loses credibility.

The whole system needs reviewing.

Notes

1. Download the committee report http://www.network.mag-uk.org/documents/080122%20Vehicle%20Excise.pdf

2. For further information contact:

David Short

Tel: +44 (0) 1347 82221

Mobile: +44 (0) 77389 48080

E-mail: campaigns-manager@mag-uk.org

The UK's Leading Riders' Rights Organisation

www.mag-uk.org