The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) has welcomed assurances by the Department for Transport (DfT) that motorcycles will not be included in the government’s recently announced plans to ban the sale of certain categories of new petrol and diesel vehicles as soon as 2030. Last month, the government published its ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’ and confirmed that the UK “will end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, ten years earlier than planned”, with an extension until 2035 for hybrid vehicles that emit no carbon. However, the BMF has welcomed a new clarification by the DfT that the scope of the Ten Point Plan will not include motorcycles powered by internal combustion engine (ICE)

Clean air zones are probably coming to somewhere near you soon if they aren’t there already, so what are they and what do you need to know? Mike Waters explores... The first thing to know about clean air zones (CAZs) is that the name pretty much says it all. In summary, they’re a defined area in which the authorities want to reduce or prevent airborne pollution by vehicles. There are plenty of variations – London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone, Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone and so on – but the gist is the same. If you want to go in and your bike doesn’t meet the zone’s standards, you pay a fee up front or a fine when

Jess Bennett explains everything you need to know about the new motorcycle helmet safety regulations and why they're good news for bikers... Helmets save lives, and lots of them. According to a major study (link) that reviewed a vast library of medical data from around the world, helmets are 42% effective in preventing motorcyclist deaths and 69% effective in preventing brain injuries. When the worst happens and your head needs protection, that advantage can be crucial. You’ll surely be well aware of the importance of buying from reputable brands with industry standard safety ratings. However, those safety ratings change over time and, in June 2020, the United Nations voted to update the motorcycle helmet regulations for the first time in more than

The National Motorcycle Museum (NMM) has appealed for help amid the COVID-19 pandemic and is launching a raffle to help raise essential funds. A statement from the NMM said: “Many visitors will not realise that the National Motorcycle Museum receives no external funding whatsoever. This means that, not only do we rely on visitors to the museum, but mainly on the income from our conference business and two sister hotels. Everyone knows that hospitality and leisure has been one of the worst hit sectors, and we don’t know when our National Conference Centre, Manor Hotel Meriden and Windmill Village Hotel Coventry will be able to reopen fully, let alone trade profitably.” Museum Director James Hewing explained further: “The museum itself requires a

The members of the Coalition of Motorcycling Organisations have issued a statement thanking motorcyclists for their restraint and responsible actions so far. Ahead of further - and more complex - changes to the lockdown regulations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland this weekend, the Coalition points out that the guidelines on meeting in public are not changing to any significant degree. The Coalition’s existing COVID-safe guidelines will be kept under review. The statement reads: “The Coalition of Motorcycling Organisations is pleased that the vast majority of motorcyclists have adhered to Government Coronavirus guidelines. We appreciate that the restrictions have had a significant impact on motorcyclists in terms of the sport, social and utility aspects of riding. We are pleased that

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed new requirements for testing and training in England amid the adjustment of regulations brought in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the BMF has previously reported, testing is due to resume on July 4. To achieve this safely, students will need to wear a face covering and their own earpiece, and there should not be physical contact between documentation and either the student or examiner. Furthermore, Scotland and Wales will also see theory testing which had been suspended rescheduled to July 14 onwards. Those affected by this change will be contacted by the DVSA to inform them, and critical workers will be exempt.

The government has announced that mandatory MOT vehicle testing will resume in England, Scotland and Wales as of August 1st. As the BMF has previously reported, six-month extensions to MOT deadlines were granted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those with an MOT deadline date before August 1st will still get the six-month extension, but are able to get their vehicle tested earlier. A statement by the Department for Transport noted that “all vehicles must continue to be properly maintained and kept in a roadworthy condition, and people are able to voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement. Motorists can be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle.” Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:

Many Oxfordshire motorcyclists already know that Oxfordshire County Council is conducting a survey regarding its future Local Transport and Connectivity Plan 5. The survey asks for responses to 28 papers on various aspects of the plan. The 28th paper discusses motorcycling and appears almost as an afterthought, created only after Cherwell District Councillor John Broad raised issues with a lack of content relevant to motorcycles in the previous strategy document. The original version of the topic paper was so biased that Oxfordshire County Council revised it after significant pressure from Cllr Broad, motorcycle lobby groups and many local motorcyclists. The revised document still shows bias and misinformation, and none of the other topic papers even mention motorcycles. Motorcyclists will be happy to

Your insurance premium may be about to go up and motorsport could be in serious danger because of one Slovenian tractor accident, write the BMF's Anna Zee. Here's why. Remember the name Vnuk? Slovenian chap who got knocked off a ladder by a tractor reversing with a trailer into a farmer’s barn? His claim for compensation went all the way to the European Court of Justice, which ruled in his favour. You may recall headlines about having to insure your segway, mobility scooter or ride-on lawnmower because, on the face of it, this judgment changed what we thought was the scope of the Motor Insurance Directive (MID). Two other cases have also led to re-interpretations of the scope of the MID,

The government is considering an EU ruling which could trigger the end of motorsport. Known as the ‘Vnuk judgement’, all motorised transport would require third-party damage and injury insurance if implemented. The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), Amateur Motor Cycle Association (AMCA) and Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) believe that motorsports are uninsurable and that this ruling could see the end to them all. Steve Kenward, CEO of the MCIA, said: "If the government implements the Vnuk judgment un-amended, British motorcycle sport would end in the UK. Given that we are coming out of the EU, we are astonished that the government is even considering an option to implement Vnuk." Challenging issues The government doesn’t have much choice about implementing it or not. The ruling is the