Environmental organisations in France have welcomed a court ruling that means motorbikes and motor scooters must undergo regular roadworthiness tests.
France’s highest administrative court, the Conseil d’Etat, ruled that a law requiring older vehicles with a capacity of 125CC or more to undergo contrôle technique tests must apply from October 1st, 2022.
The EU law on the tests for motorbikes and scooters was supposed to take effect from January 1st this year, but was kicked into the long grass until next year by government decree following protests from motorcyclists’ groups.
The court’s decision was welcomed by the three environmental NGOs that had referred the case to the court, including the association Respire. “It is a victory for public health, for ecology,” director Tony Renucci, told franceinfo after the ruling. “It is also an important step for France in its fight against air pollution.”
An estimated 2.5 million people hold motorbike licences in France – and another 1.5 million use scooters and other motorised two-wheelers which do not require a full motorcycle permit.
Please whitelist us to continue reading.
As a motorcycle owner, in theory, I agree with the decision. However, why is it only applying to motorbikes with an engine size over 125 cc? I have owned and ridden large capacity motorbikes for many years and, from experiencem it is the smaller engined motorcycle and scooters, often 2-strokes, which are the most polluting and unroadworthy, as they are ridden and owned by inexperienced teenagers. It will be interesting to see how it is implemented. My local CT inspector would not even to be able to reach the ground with his feet on my motorbike, let alone handle the 270 kilograms!! We shall see.
Good. Should have happened years ago, but should have started at 49cc.
I have read the decree issued by the conseil d’etat and its quite clear the acceleration only applies to vehicles over 125CC. So your article is a a bit misleading. I am assuming all other motorbikes 125CC and under will need a CT from January 1st 2023. below I have copied in french the actual ruling which I have translated into english using collins translate;
“12. Il résulte de ce qui précède que les requérantes sont fondées à demander la suspension de l’exécution du décret contesté en tant que, par ses articles 6, 8 et 9, il reporte au-delà du 1er octobre 2022, l’entrée en vigueur de l’obligation de contrôle technique des véhicules de catégorie L3e, L4e, L5e et L7e de cylindrée supérieure à 125 cm3. Dans les circonstances de l’espèce, il y a lieu de mettre à la charge de l’Etat la somme de 1 000 euros à chacune des associations requérantes en application de l’article L. 761-1 du code de justice administrative.”
English Version;
As stated above, the only fact that a notification has been sent to the European Commission under the alternative road safety measures provided for in Article 2(2) of Directive 2014/45 of 3 April 2014 of the European Parliament is, whatever its content and in the absence of effective implementation of the measures envisaged, not such as to justify the transposition of that directive. The plea alleging infringement of the obligation to transpose that directive is, consequently, such as to create serious doubt as to the lawfulness of the contested measure.12. It follows from the foregoing that the applicants are justified in requesting the suspension of the implementation of the contested decree in so far as, by Articles 6, 8 and 9 thereof, it postpones until 1 October 2022 the entry into force of the obligation to carry out roadworthiness tests for vehicles of category L3e, L4e, L5e and L7e with a cylinder capacity exceeding 125 cm3. In the circumstances of the present case, the sum of EUR 1 000 must be charged to each of the applicant associations by the State pursuant to Article L. 761-1 of the Code of Administrative Justice.