In April, something quietly significant will happen in UK transport policy. The Plug-in Motorcycle Grant (PiMG) will end. And when it does, L-category vehicles – mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles, and quadricycles – will become the only road vehicle segment without dedicated government consumer support. In other words, there will be no replacement and, therefore, no recognition of the role this sector plays in cutting emissions and congestion.
Following a tough 2025 for new moped and motorcycle sales, which in large part was due to the Euro 5 to Euro 5+ transition, our forecasts show the market recovering to circa 104,000 registrations in 2026. In addition to the natural recovery from the 2024/25 distortion, it is evident that the market will become more competitive in 2026 as we witness the arrival of many new brands and models at entry level and across other popular style classes such as adventure and modern classic.
Critical to market recovery (whilst not massively utilised to date), growth will depend on sector incentives and support, such as the current PiMG. Therefore, for a government that claims to be serious about decarbonisation, this appears to be both an oversight and a massive blind spot. That’s why the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) is launching a new campaign calling for a full review of consumer and business incentives for its vehicles. This is not a question of whether the UK can afford to support our sector, but whether the UK can afford not to.
Transport remains the largest source of domestic greenhouse gas emissions, yet L-category vehicles (low- and zero-emission) account for only 0.46% of transport emissions, while delivering outsized benefits in congestion, space efficiency, and affordability for hundreds of thousands of employers, employees, families, and students.
Smaller, lighter, and inherently more energy-efficient than cars and vans, L-category vehicles already deliver many of the outcomes government policy aims to achieve. For example, clearer air, less congestion, lower infrastructure demand, integrated transport, and affordable mobility.
But while billions have been directed toward the car and van transition, the L-category sector is excluded from equivalent support. The UK has sensibly built a decarbonisation strategy around mass-use cars and vans but is currently overlooking one of the most efficient mobility solutions available to them.
The MCIA’s position is clear in that the government must look beyond exclusively zero emissions at the tailpipe as a measure of success. A transition like this won’t happen overnight, which is why policy needs to reflect how people move in a way that is pragmatic and not at businesses’ expense. Combustion engine motorcycles are not the enemy of decarbonisation. In fact, they can serve as a helpful bridge to it and must remain part of the long-term solution. The fastest path to net zero is rarely the most technologically perfect one. It’s the path that delivers the biggest real-world change, quickly, at scale, and, arguably, most importantly, is accepted by the consumer.
As part of the campaign, The MCIA has commissioned a major programme of independent economic and fiscal modelling to answer the basic question: which fiscal levers, if pulled correctly, can deliver the greatest return per pound spent on incentivising the uptake of low- and zero-emission L-category vehicles? Whether measured in emissions reduction, congestion relief, industrial growth or wider economic impact, the aim is to provide clear credible evidence the Treasury and DfT can use to make informed decisions about the future of the Plug-in Grant, including how it can be reformed and extended as a transitional measure, ensuring continuity while government develops a longer-term incentives strategy that reflects the real-world role of L-category vehicles.
L-category vehicles can either remain an afterthought in transport policy or be recognised as essential to a low-carbon, efficient mode of travel.
This campaign is about more than preserving and reforming the current grant. It’s about reframing how government sees the sector. We are not a niche hobby; we are a practical, affordable and scalable solution in the face of some of the country’s biggest challenges facing the transport network.
The next few months will determine whether that opportunity is seized. The policy gap is stark and needs to be filled. The only real question left is whether decision-makers are ready to act on it. We’ll be taking our evidence to the heart of government to make sure we are fully considered.
Tony Campbell
CEO, MCIA