Following the publication of the UK government’s new ‘Better Connected’ transport strategy, the National Motorcyclists’ Council says the strategy should have a more significant representation of motorcycles.
The new strategy aims to shift the UK government’s view of transport from one focused mainly on cars, buses, and trains to a broader approach that includes what it calls alternative transport modes, such as motorcycles. The NMC says it welcomes this recognition, especially the acknowledgment of motorcycles as a car alternative and their role in suburban first- and last-mile travel. However, it’s disappointed that default access for motorcycles to bus lanes wasn’t included and that motorcycles got less emphasis than walking or cycling. Craig Carey-Clinch, the NMC’s executive director, said that while the recognition is appreciated, it falls short of the attention given to other alternatives. He urged the government to see the strategy as just a starting point for fully integrating motorcycling into transport plans, warning against the past pattern of positive mentions without follow-up. He hopes the ‘Better Connected’ plan will finally break this cycle and treat motorcycles as a real mobility solution.
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