The National Motorcyclists’ Council (NMC) is insisting that the Government’s new ‘Better Connected’ transport strategy should have a more significant representation of motorcycles.

The NMC says that the point of the new strategy is to evolve the way the UK Government views transport, from a perspective that views the system as primarily reliant on cars, buses, and trains, for example, to one that better considers the involvement of what it calls alternative transport modes – a categorisation in which motorcycles are included.

The NMC says that it “welcomes” the new strategy and that it is pleased that motorcycling has been recognised as an alternative to cars in the strategy, as well as the recognition of the importance of motorcycles in suburban first- and last-mile connectivity.

However, it also is disappointed that motorcycle access to bus lanes is not considered a default, and that motorcycles featured less prominently in the strategy than walking or cycling, for example, as car alternatives.

“While recognition of motorcycling in the Strategy is very welcome, this in no way compares to the broad range of mentions for other alternative transport modes, so the strategy cannot be described as properly inclusive of motorcycling,” said Craig Carey-Clinch, executive director of the NMC.

“We urge the Government to regard what is said in the Strategy as only a starting place for the proper development of motorcycling’s role in integrated transport. 

“All too often in the past, positive references in strategic documents are followed by no further engagement. We hope that ‘Better Connected’ can finally break out of this cycle of inaction when it comes to motorcycles as a mobility solution.”

(Picture: Marcin Mierzejewski/Dreamstime.com)