The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) and British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) are calling on the Government to extend the freeze on fuel duty as rising pump prices put renewed pressure on motorcyclists, commuters and businesses.

With fuel costs continuing to rise, the NMC and BMF say the impact is being felt particularly by people who depend on motorcycles and scooters for everyday transport — including commuters, students, younger riders and the thousands of people working in the delivery and gig economy.

The Government has confirmed that fuel duty will not increase this year and that the temporary 5p-per-litre reduction will remain in place until 31 December. However, with motorists once again facing higher prices at the pumps, the NMC and BMF are urging the Chancellor to maintain the reduction and avoid increasing fuel duty next year.

Motorcycles and scooters offer one of the most economical forms of powered personal transport. They generally use considerably less fuel and road space than cars, help reduce congestion and provide an affordable mobility option for people who may have limited access to public transport.

For many riders, particularly those travelling to work or earning their living on two wheels, rising fuel prices are therefore not simply an issue affecting discretionary spending.

The BMF Chair said: “Rising fuel prices are another unwelcome squeeze on people who depend on affordable personal transport.
“Motorcycling is not simply a leisure activity. For hundreds of thousands of people a motorcycle or scooter is how they get to work, college or university, while for many working in the delivery economy it is their livelihood.
“We welcome the Government’s decision to maintain the 5p fuel-duty reduction until the end of December, but with pump prices rising again we believe the Chancellor should go further and extend the freeze into next year.
“Motorcycles and scooters are highly fuel-efficient, take up less road space and help reduce congestion. At a time when household budgets are under renewed pressure, Government should be encouraging affordable and efficient forms of mobility rather than making them more expensive.”

The National Motorcyclists Council added: “Keeping people mobile at an affordable cost is important both socially and economically. Motorcycles and scooters have an important part to play, particularly for people who need flexible personal transport and in areas where public transport cannot provide a practical alternative.
“The NMC therefore urges the Government to recognise the pressures that rising fuel prices are placing on riders and other road users and to provide some certainty by extending the current fuel-duty arrangements beyond the end of this year.”

The NMC and BMF will continue to press Government to recognise motorcycling as an affordable, efficient and congestion-reducing transport choice and to ensure that the needs of riders are properly considered in future decisions on transport taxation.

Link to NMC Press release here

Written by Paul Morgan CBE

Top image courtesy of Dark Ace Studios – Unsplash