The Government’s New National Integrated Transport Strategy- A Call for Action (and Ideas) BMF News 20 December 20249 January 2025 Government Launches National Integrated Transport Strategy Consultation-Make Your Voice Heard The Government has set out its vision for a new Integrated National Transport Strategy built on a “people first” approach to transport that “seamlessly joins all modes of transport together and puts people at the heart of our transport system.” Click here for link In launching a public consultation on the new strategy, the Department for Transport has said they want everyone to be able to contribute to the new vision and to provide ideas on how the new strategy can best deliver greater opportunity, healthier communities and better lives. The new strategy will “set the framework for how they meet people’s transport needs today and in the future.” Motorcyclists have been
Japanese Manufacturers Make Hay While Legacy Brands Suffer Other news 15 December 202417 December 2024 Japanese motorcycle makers had a good 2024, according to Roger Willis, Finance Editor of the trade paper British Dealer News. By contrast, the ‘legacy’ names such as BMW, Harley-Davidson and Ducati are suffering as sales fall in key markets. Honda looks set to sell more than 20 million bikes worldwide in the 12 months from March 2024, while Kawasaki (just chosen to provide camera bikes for 2025’s Tour de France) is also on the up. Suzuki is projecting two million sales while Yamaha’s profits have soared to over £650 million to the end of September 2024. Much of their growth comes from developing markets in Asia and India, where demand for smaller bikes continues to grow. “Studiously avoiding the market instability
WHY DO MOTORCYCLISTS FEEL THEY ARE IGNORED?… BMF News 13 December 202413 December 2024 ....Because they are! Opinion Piece - Director of political and technical Services, Anna Zee, explores the curious absence of motorcycling from planning policy. As a motorcyclist participating in discussions of road safety I am only too well aware that motorcyclists are massively over-represented in the collision statistics given that overall they are only 1% to 3% of the traffic on the road. Consequently the perception of a great many people is that motorcycles are very dangerous. In turn this perception means that many people working in local government and all the way through to national government are unwilling to do anything which they think could be classed as encouraging or promoting motorcycling. So politicians and officials do not want to seem to
Scotland Considers 50mph Limit on Single-Carriageways BMF News 6 December 20246 December 2024 Transport Scotland is proposing to reduce speed limits to 50mph on single-carriageway roads, and possibly reduce the dual-carriageway and motorway limits to 60mph for all traffic. The National Speed Management Review, which contains the proposals, could be put out for consultation. The idea behind the changes is to reduce the speed differential between different types of traffic, which Transport Scotland says would have safety benefits as well as reducing tailbacks behind slow moving trucks. So while bikes and cars would see the limit reduced from 60 to 50mph on single-carriageway roads, the limit for trucks over 7.5 tonnes would increase from 40 to 50mph. Similarly, on dual-carriageways and motorways, the speed limit for all traffic would become 60mph, with cars and bikes
Portugal: no mandatory technical inspection for motorcycles FEMA News 6 December 20249 December 2024 On 5 December the Portuguese parliament voted against a mandatory technical inspection for motorcycles, which was to be introduced from 1 January 2025. Portuguese riders' rights organisation GAM (Grupo Acção Motociclista) said: "The decision to impose a mandatory technical inspection for motorcycles in Portugal, on 1 January 2025 is definitely buried. The wait was long, but it is here: Portugal will not introduce mandatory periodical technical inspection for motorcycles. After more than 12 years of fight, to bring awareness to the reality of the facts surrounding the subject, we finally got the Portuguese government on our side: mandatory periodical technical inspection for motorcycles was repealed yesterday by the Portuguese parliamentary majority." Source: GAM Top photograph courtesy of GAM This article is subject to FEMA’s
EU Council: ‘implement national driving disqualifications across the EU’ FEMA News 5 December 20249 December 2024 The European Council has adopted a negotiating position to improve road safety by addressing driving disqualifications across the EU. The proposal requires that a member state which issues a driving licence must enforce driving disqualifications imposed by another member state for serious traffic offences, improving road safety by removing dangerous drivers across the EU. The next step is negotiations with the European Parliament.The European Parliament earlier said driving disqualification should apply in all EU countries (click here for an article from 29 November 2023). Key points include: The proposal aims to ensure mutual recognition of disqualifications for non-resident drivers. Certain disqualifications (less than three months or with under a month remaining) will be excluded. Information will be exchanged digitally via the EU
Government Unveils Its Vision For A National Integrated Transport Strategy BMF News 29 November 2024 The Government Unveils Its Vision For A National Integrated Transport Strategy in England In launching a new strategy for a future integrated transport model across England, the Government has called for ideas on how it can deliver on its vision. There is a real opportunity, as the new strategy is developed, for the Government to recognise motorcycling within its core transport policy and, importantly, to realise the significant benefits that motorcycling can deliver in terms of a hugely versatile, affordable, zero congesting and lower polluting transport solution. You can read further details regarding the Government’s announcement, including a statement from the BMF’s Political and Technical Services Director Anna Zee, by clicking on the following link to the National Motorcyclists Council's (NMC) Press Release
Bagger Racing Coming to MotoGP? Other news 23 November 202422 November 2024 King of the Baggers – Harley-Davidson’s race series for fully-equipped touring Harleys – could be coming to Europe after the company signed an agreement with Dorna, organiser of MotoGP. Bagger racing (somebody had to say it...) first appeared in 2020 and has been a huge success in the US as part of MotoAmerica series, with the touring bike rounds acting as support races. The sight of big twin Harleys, battling it out on track, complete with fairings and panniers, is certainly a spectacle. To publicise the agreement signed between Harley and Dorna, the Baggers made a guest appearance at Barcelona this year after the final MotoGP round of the season. It’s still not confirmed whether bagger racing will join the MotoGP schedule
Watsonian Launch Affordable Sidecar Other news 22 November 2024 Watsonian-Squire, the British sidecar manufacturer, unveiled a new outfit at Motorcycle Live with a very special feature – a low price of just £7,999. It’ll even be available for a limited offer at £7,499, a £500 saving. Watsonian sidecars normally cost £5-7,000, just for the chair, so this complete, ready-to-ride outfit looks like a bargain Ben Matthews, Watsonian Squire’s Managing Director, said that the new budget sidecar drew on the company’s heritage. “Back in the 1980s Squire produced hundreds of sidecars for the importers of budget Jawa and MZ motorcycles. This created fantastic economics of scale and made sidecars an affordable option for thousands of riders. We still get enquiries from customers looking to buy a complete outfit ‘off the shelf’
Government Rejects Universal Access For Motorcyclists to UK Bus Lanes BMF News 21 November 202421 November 2024 Government Rejects Universal Access For Motorcyclists to UK Bus Lanes To see Government consultation, please click here The Government has today announced that there will be no change in policy to allow universal access for motorcycles to UK bus lanes. Decisions on bus lane access for motorcycles will remain at local level with local authorities. Paul Morgan CBE BMF's Government Relations Executive said: " This is a missed opportunity to significantly improve the safety of motorcyclists across the UK's road network. The BMF will now consider the Government's decision in consultation with our key partner the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), and in liaison with other motorcycling groups, to formulate a detailed response to the Government's decision." To read full Government outcome of the consultation please click
Road markings for motorcyclists win road safety award FEMA News 18 November 20249 December 2024 In Brussels the European Road Safety Charter Excellence in Road Safety Awards 2024 were presented to the winners of five different categories: Education Motorcycling Pedestrians and cyclists Technology and innovation Urban The European Road Safety Charter, led by the European Commission, is the largest civil society platform on road safety. To date, more than 4,000 public and private entities have committed to the Charter and carried out road safety actions and initiatives targeted at their members, employees and the rest of civil society. Together, these various entities form a community in which members can share their expertise and actions, inspiring and learning from each other. FEMA is a member of the European Road Safety Charter. Pedestrians and cyclists >> Alternative mobility strategy
NMC sends evidence to Parliament re state of the roads NMC News 15 November 202415 November 2024 National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) responds to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee’s Call For Evidence on the State of the Road Network The NMC has forwarded written evidence to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee highlighting the dire condition of England’s road network and calling for an effective government strategy, supported by adequate funding, to urgently resolve the current situation. NMC Chair and BMF Political and Technical Services Director, Anna Zee, said: “ The current state of the UK’s road network is a disgrace, with many roads in an unacceptable and dangerous state through lack of sufficient investment over a number of years. The scourge of potholes, in particular, represents a real danger to motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users and needs to be fixed urgently through