In the House of Lords today, Earl Atlee moved a motion (if you’ll excuse the pun) that will see the fine incurred for having illegally low tread on a motorcycle tyre, reduced from the current £120 to £60 to be inline with car drivers.
The move is one part of the Road Safety (financial penalty deposit)(appropriate amount)(amendment) Order 2010 and related to the Fixed Penalty (amendment) Order 2010 and is in recognition of the fact that motorcyclists often feel they do not receive fair treatment before the law. In this instance it is indeed the case that the fine for riders is twice that for drivers, so the perception of victimisation is not perception!
This road safety order in its entirety aims to address the problem of non-payment of fines for offences by non-nationals or others the Police suspect may avoid payment, but MAG is happy that the Government is taking this opportunity to amend previous unfairness.
Beware though, that under the same Fixed Penalty (Amendment) Order, the fine for an obscured, ill-sized or missing number plate, is to go up from £30 to £60. Oh priorities, priorities.