Riders Are Voters 2010: The Motorcycling Manifesto

Wednesday, 14 April 2010 12:00 AM

Motorcycles and scooters have the potential to address many transport problems, also helping to reduce social exclusion, transport Co2 and improve quality of life.

The potential benefits, both as a popular form of transport and as recreation, have been suppressed by a general failure of local and national authorities to 'Think Bike'.

The UK's principal Motorcycle organisations call on the next Parliament to ensure that future transport, business and social policy realises the full potential of biking by:

. Providing a fair deal for motorcycle riders, industry and sport.
. Making Motorcycles an integral part of the future transport mix: 'Think Bike'
. Refocusing road safety action on tackling the real causes of accidents.

An estimated 5,000 voters in each constituency have an interest in motorcycling issues. By virtue of age and background, the vast majority of these are likely to cast a vote in the next General Election.

Motorcycling represents a significant voice in the UK and deserves a far better deal that it currently gets. The UK's motorcycle riders, industry and sports are asking for your support on issues that concern them.

Motorcycling represents a greatly untapped source of solutions for many issues facing society: traffic congestion, personal CO2 emissions, travel costs, flexible mobility. Significant contributions are made to national and local economies by motorcycle manufacture, sales and service, sport, transport and leisure.

Motorcycling engages many young people in sporting activities, helping to reduce crime and social disorder in addition to fielding world class athletes and Champions in many disciplines.

Public policy remains largely ignorant of motorcycling as a mainstream form of transport, but its contribution to other policy objectives is even less well understood. Road safety policy focuses almost entirely on improving riders without addressing those road and traffic conditions that too often make riders vulnerable. Industry is held back by policies which ignore its needs and the contribution it makes to the economy. Unnecessary restrictions are placed on organisers of motorcycle sport and social events and society is denied the opportunity to fully utilise the positive aspects of biking.

Motorcycling in a nutshell

1. Motorcycling is popular: Around 3 million licence holders, more than 1.2 million ride regularly.
2. Riders contribute around £7 billion per annum to the national economy.
3. Biking is big business: The motorcycle industry employs 62,000 people in 5,700 enterprises. 500,000 new and used bikes are sold each year.
4. Motorcycles bring mobility: traffic congestion and incomplete public transport links present barriers to many journeys that powered two-wheelers can take in their stride.
5. Riders buy for practical reasons and for enjoyment: Over 60% of journeys are for commuting, utility, practical purposes (especially important for job seekers and for those on low incomes).
6. Riders save time: cutting journey times by up to 48% in some surveys.
7. Riders use land more efficiently: many bikes can fit into one car parking space.
8. Riders reduce traffic congestion: bikes are shorter and narrower and remain more mobile in traffic jams.
9. Riders create very little pollution: CO2 emissions 30% lower than cars on average.
10. Riders' risk of injury has fallen by nearly 30% in the last decade.

For further information about the key themes above, please look at www.ridersarevoters.org

'Riders Are Voters 2010' is supported by the main organisations representing UK riders, sport and industry.

Tags: