MAG PRESS RELEASE
Issued
Diesel Spills Know No
Borders
The Motorcycle Action Group
is behind Brian Adam, Member Scottish Parliament
(MSP) call for a road safety
campaign to highlight the dangers of diesel
spills to motorcyclists.
The MSP for North East
Scotland has tabled a motion to be debated in the
Scottish Parliament that
highlights the danger of diesel spills on roads and
asks for immediate action to
investigate all means to reduce diesel spills
on roads so that serious
accidents can be averted.
Brian invited MAG members in
to highlight the dangers.
Commenting on his motion Mr
Adam said: ''Diesel spills cause bikers a great
deal of problems and
unfortunately many serious accidents have occurred
because of fuel patches on
our roads.
''My motion calls upon the
Scottish Executive to mount a road safety
campaign to highlight the
dangers of diesel spills to motorcyclists and urge
lorry drivers and other
diesel vehicle drivers not to overfill their tanks,
as this is the main cause of
spillage.
In response to the motion
Scottish minister Lewis Macdonald indicated that
the Parliament would
continue to liaise with the UK Government on the
relevant issues and to look
for ways of reducing the number of motorcycle
accidents.
MAG's Director of Public
Affairs Trevor Baird says, "There have been various
localised campaigns
highlighting the dangers of Diesel spillage to
motorcyclists. A nation wide
safety campaign would cut down the risk of
accidents involving
riders"
The major spillage of diesel
from leaking tanks or fuel caps is a safety
worry for riders but the
hidden danger of a steady built up of diesel on
poorly maintained urban
roads at roundabouts and petrol station entrances is
a concern raised by the
police and can catch riders out.
Road Hazard Warning cards
are available from MAG by calling 0870 444 8 448
and can be used to highlight
diesel build up and other road hazards to the
Highways Agency or your
local Council, heavier spills should be notified to
the police immediately.
Note
Brian Adam's motion reads as
follows:
Brian Adam: Safety Campaign
on Diesel Spills-That the Parliament notes with
regret the distressing
number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities caused
by diesel spills and
believes that the Scottish Executive should run a road
safety campaign to highlight
the dangers of over-filling diesel tanks and
introduce other measures to
reduce diesel spills.
Full Debate can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/session-03/sor0122-02.htm#
Col17249
Contact: Brian Adam 07713
063634 or Press Office 0131 348 6228
Issued by
Trevor Baird
Director Of Public Affairs
MAG UK
PO BOX 750
Rugby
CV21 3ZR
Tel: +44 (0)870 444 8 448
Fax: +44 (0)870 444 8 449
Email
public-affairs@mag-uk.org
The UK's Leading Riders'
Rights Organisation