Spanish motorcyclists’ organisation ANM does not support the proposal to scrap bikes: ‘Motorcycles are not the problem, they are part of the solution for urban mobility issues’.

If you live in Barcelona and you have an old car or motorcycle and scrap it, you can get three years of free travel by public transport instead. This is part of Barcelona’s controversial campaign to get rid of old, environmentally damaging vehicles.

The vehicles that qualify to apply for the card when scrapped are diesel cars up to Euro III registered before 2006, petrol or diesel cars up to Euro II registered before the year 2000. Motorcycles without Euro classification or Euro I, scooters registered before 17 June 2002 and motorcycles registered before 1 July 2004 also qualify.

We spoke with Fermín Hernández Martínez from Spanish motorcyclists’ organisation – and member of FEMA – Asociación Nacional de Motoristas (ANM). He is not a big fan of the proposal to scrap bikes, to say the least.

“Barcelona’s present campaign sounds more like propaganda concern than a real solution for its citizens and mobility. You could think that this campaign is a measure against private mobility like motorcycles and cars. The freedom to choose the most appropriate way to travel is denied by Barcelona’s campaign. Citizens are pushed to get rid of their old vehicles with no other option than public transportation which in many cases can’t reach all places and can’t guarantee you arrive at your workplace on time. Public transportation is not mobility’s miracle cure; for ANM the freedom to choose either the subway, the bus, a bicycle, a motorcycle or a car makes more sense.”

‘Barcelona’s city council should think of campaigns that promote the use of powered two-wheelers in and around the city.’

“Due to the economic crisis many people have no money for a new vehicle, so when Barcelona’s City Hall encourages a change in mobility, citizens demand more than just one alternative. If citizens have to get rid of their old vehicles and have no other option than public transportation, people risk losing their employment; people that don’t have money for a new vehicle usually don’t have the money to move closer to the more expensive metropolitan area either.”

“Barcelona is a city with more motorcycles than many other cities, due mainly to its urban configuration, stable weather, and cosmopolitan culture. The relatively low cost of both purchase and maintenance of a motorcycle is perhaps the most important factor to mention, increasing its popularity among users. Before starting campaigns like this one, Barcelona’s city council should include the opinions of citizens and of organisations like ANM and perhaps think of campaigns that promote the use of powered two-wheelers in and around the city. Motorcycles are not the problem, they are part of the solution for urban mobility issues.”

Written by Wim Taal

Top photograph courtesy of busphoto.eu

This article is subject to FEMA’s copyright