Riders’ rights group MAG (Motorcycle Action Group), has been maintaining pressure on local and national government over two of its major concerns: the phase-out of new petrol-powered motorcycles across the UK and the imposition of steep new parking charges for bikes in London.
The first event saw MAG chair Neil Liversidge and campaigns director Colin Brown meeting UK transport minister Jesse Norman at the Department for Transport HQ in London in March. Norman is responsible for decarbonisation and technology, so is at the heart of decisions about combustion engine bans. The MAG men underlined the group’s opposition to the proposed 2030/2035 cliff-edge embargo on new petrol bike sales. The conversation focused on the impact of electrification on both the bike industry and end users in the UK.
Speaking after the meeting, Liversidge said: “We were not expecting the minister to announce a U-turn on the policy at the meeting, but I can say that we have robustly presented the strength of feeling on the ICE ban. We briefly discussed MAG’s alternative solution for the future of transport with the rapid expansion of an electrified public transport system allied to a diverse range of technologies in the private motorised sector. There are no reasons why electric and ICE vehicles cannot co-exist to create a diverse and resilient transport system. We are seeing Europe edging towards this reality, and the UK could lead the way. We have agreed to submit a fleshed-out proposal to Jesse Norman that will both meet the government’s ambitions and avoid destroying the economy and motorcycling culture in the process.”
Meanwhile, the Greater London branch of MAG was busy opposing new motorcycle parking charges in Islington council bike parking spots. The fees – £1 per bike per day – to park in motorcycle bays are less draconian than those set in nearby Hackney Council but are seen as a backward step in reducing traffic congestion in this inner-city borough. The group also accused Islington of trying to smuggle the changes in on the quiet, with no public consultation or engagement with riders.
A Greater London MAG spokesman said: “This is a clear attempt by the council to bypass democratic scrutiny. They have seen what happened in Hackney and wanted to avoid the uproar. This is a sign that our campaigning is working, but we need to be on the lookout for other councils doing the same. Cock-up or conspiracy? Either way, it’s a totally unacceptable way for a democratic organisation to behave and goes against all democratic norms. No other council has taken such an underhand approach.”
More info on MAG campaigns: www.mag-uk.org