The NMC (National Motorcyclists Council) delivered a comprehensive message at the turn of the year, with a Spotify-style wrap-up of 2025 alongside some crystal ball gazing, and informed speculation for 2026.
The riders’ rights organisation’s executive director, Craig Carey-Clinch, was upbeat about some positive achievements in 2025 and the potential for political change in 2026.
The first success is the Pothole Partnership, a lobbying alliance that includes motorcycle, cycling, and car organisations, as well as safety groups and road repair firms. The partnership has achieved some solid PR gains and has helped raise the issue on the political agenda.
On specific two-wheeled issues, the NMC, along with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, fought against DVLA notifications for modifications, while the NMC and the Trail Riders Fellowship collaborated on protecting access to rural off-road routes and green roads.
The NMC’s work on road safety improvements saw a motorcycle safety conference in February, followed by a well-received session at the Road Safety GB national conference in November, focusing on the need for transport policy to properly recognise motorcycling within the Safe Systems approach. Finally, 2025 also saw improved parliamentary engagement for the NMC, including productive discussions involving MPs with interests in transport and motorcycling, together with strengthened relationships with external transport stakeholders and continued international collaboration with European biking organisation FEMA, and bike sport organisation the FIM.
Early this year there was a political movement to review motorcycle training, testing, and licensing published in the government’s road safety strategy. But the NMC says there’s plenty of work ahead, with defaulted bike access to bus lanes, motorcycle theft, decarbonisation, autonomous vehicles, and trail riding all on its agenda.
“The NMC enters the New Year with optimism,” said Carey-Clinch. “Beyond tackling damaging policies, there is a growing opportunity to champion the wider societal benefits of motorcycling while protecting what riders value.
“As ever, partnership underpins everything the NMC does. By uniting motorcycling representative organisations and building alliances across civil society, the NMC continues to demonstrate that a joined-up lobby can deliver real progress. The steady progress that the NMC has made since it was relaunched in 2021 shows the value, strength and authority that a combined approach from motorcycling organisations can bring.”