New measures to enhance safety for Europe’s ever-growing numbers of motorcyclists – and to reduce the pollution they cause.

Talking point: Two-wheel hazards

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16087360/n001-121001-002-en_mf.srt

They may be swift in the cities and  offer wind-in-the-hair thrills in the open,

and account for a disproportionate number  of deaths on Europe’s roads.

New legislation just agreed  by MEPs and the European Council

may go some way  to addressing both problems,

making certain safety functions  mandatory in the future.

The views of two MEPs  close to the debate.

Wim van de Camp,  a motorbike enthusiast himself,

and Malcolm Harbour, chair of  the committee handling the legislation.

Cleaner and safer, that's  the main advantage for the motorbiker.

From 2016, all the heavy motorbikes  will have new braking systems

which give a lot more safety  to the motorbikers.

It's noticeable that while fatalities in cars  have been coming down pretty sharply,

they're levelling off.  That will have to be addressed.

But for two-wheeled vehicles  they haven't come down the same,

and in fact in some countries  they've gone up.

The second item is the sustainability  and the emissions of the motorbikes,

are still very much responsible  for the pollution of Europe.

In terms of toxic pollutants,  particularly in urban areas,

engine technology, particularly on  motorbikes and some other vehicles,

needs to be upgraded  to reduce the level of toxic emissions

which are relatively significant  in urban areas.

For the next 10, 15 years we can take  into account all the new developments,

Lighter vehicles are going to play  a bigger role in Europe's transport policy.

Particularly in urban areas  people will want lighter vehicles.

Clearly they'll play an important and rather  different role in the cities of the future.