§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors were taken into account in deciding to accept the stage II noise limits of motor cycles; and what representations he received on the issue.
§ Mr. KeyThe stage I and stage II noise limits for motorcycles were initially proposed in a draft directive (9148/84) in 1984 and were the subject of a report of the House of Lords "Select Committee on the European Communities"—Session 1984–85, 9th Report, "Motorcycle Noise". Evidence was provided to the Committee by the National Society for Clean Air, the Motorcycle Association of Great Britain Ltd., the Noise Abatement Society, the British Motorcyclists Federation, the Greater London Council, the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, now the Transport Research Laboratory, as well as the Department of Transport. The Committee welcomed the initiative taken by the Commission in proposing a new directive which was subsequently adopted, with minor amendments, as Council directive 87/56/EEC of 18 December 1987.
The directive is currently the subject of a revised proposal as part of the introduction of motorcycle whole vehicle type approval. The stage II limits contained within Council directive 87/56/EEC are retained, but the implementation date is deferred until 1 January 1997.