The Department for Transport is consulting into its new Integrated National Transport Strategy. Since the election they’ve said that they currently have no policy to encourage motorcycles and that allowing them to use bus lanes should be left to local authorities. This is a chance to change their mind. You can tell them why motorcycles should be encouraged and why they should provide better leadership to local authorities.

You might mention that motorcycles produce less air pollution per passenger than cars, that they provide an additional choice alongside buses and cycling, and that they are a low cost and convenient form of personal mobility that does not depend on your physical ability.

You might also mention the need to make the licensing regime more user-friendly, to take stronger action against motorcycle theft and anti-social riding, and to abandon the vindictive decision to stop the sale of new ICE motorcycles from 2030 that no other country is doing.

You might also mention that, despite any plans to discourage motorcycle use, the Vision Zero road safety initiative places them under a moral and legal obligation to ensure that any changes to transport policy do not place motorcycle users at unnecessary risk.

The consultation closes on Thursday, 20 February 2025. It can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/integrated-national-transport-strategy-a-call-for-ideas/integrated-national-transport-strategy-a-call-for-ideas.

Yorkshire MAG will be forwarding them our West Yorkshire motorcycle plan (https://yorkshire.mag-uk.org/west-yorkshire-mag-2040-local-transport-plan/) and anti-theft strategy (https://yorkshire.mag-uk.org/west-yorkshire-mags-theft-plan/) as an example of what could be done.

Marcus
Yorkshire MAG Regional Campaigns Coordinator