Category: Organisations

1. Court Ruling Signals the End of Free Motorcycle Parking Warns bmf

   Posted on 12:00am Saturday 17th Jul 2010

   With a ruling in the High Court today that Westminster City Council’s controversial scheme for motorcycle parking charges is legal, the 80,000 strong British Motorcyclists Federation warns that this could signal the end of the customary free parking enjoyed by motorcyclists across the UK

   The judgment in effect said that Westminster Council did not need to make any special justification for bringing in charges for motorcycle parking as motorcycles  could be treated in the same way as cars. 

   In his judgement, Lord Justice Pitchfordsaid charges had been justified and that “The Council has been assiduous in the performance of its responsibility to consult specifically upon the motorcycle parking and charging scheme. Far from ignoring the responses received, appropriate concessions have been made and the scheme amended.” He then went on to say, “The judgment which objections have failed to undermine, is that the volume of traffic using the roads in the City of Westminster requires management by the selective introduction of charging for on-street parking contemporaneously with the provision of free off-street parking.”

   A strong supporter of the ‘No To Bike Parking Tax’ (NTBPT) campaign from its inception, the bmf’s Government Relations Executive Chris Hodder, said: “Obviously we are disappointed but while this ruling means that Westminster have the technical authority to charge motorcyclists, they could find that this is a pyrrhic victory as protesters have vowed to fight on until Westminster are forced to back down by public demand. It should also be borne in mind that it’s actually costing Westminster Council £430,000 a year all-in to run the scheme, so other local authorities thinking this is a green light for similar schemes should be extremely cautious.”

2. Motorcycle Test Review - Time To Be Heard says bmf

   Posted on 12:00am Sunday 11th Jul 2010

   The British Motorcyclists Federation is urging motorcyclist to contribute to the Government’s review of the controversial motorcycle test procedure now imposed on British motorcycling.
   
   

   The review, with a closing date of 31st July, was prompted by the outcry from the motorcycle community on the bungled implementation of the new test, supported by the highly critical report from the Transport Select Committee*.
   
   

   When he announced the review last month, the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Mike Penning, said that he wanted to hear from as many people as possible ‘as there may be scope for some changes to the way in which the test is carried out’ and he accepted that: “The new two-part motorcycle test has clearly led to some concern amongst motorcycle groups, particularly about the safety of the off-road module 1 part of the test and about the difficulty of accessing the limited number of off-road test centres.”
   
   

   The bmf fully supports the Transport Secretary’s initiative and urges motorcyclists and other interested parties to contribute to the review by emailing the Department for Transport on [email protected] by 31 July.
   
   

   Commenting on the review, the bmf’s Government Relations Executive Chris Hodder said: “Riders rarely get a chance to literally tell the government what they’re doing wrong let alone getting a genuine promise that they’ll listen and do something about it, so it would be a great shame to let this opportunity go to waste.” 
   
   

   Those responding to the review are also invited to give their views about how the next directive, the 3rd Driving Licence Directive, should be implemented in 2013.  Currently, the government is planning to make riders progress to the top category licence by taking the same test three times on three increasingly larger capacity machines, however, the bmf considers that tailored training is a better way to improve riding standards and would be more accessible.

3. Bus Lane Use - Nearly but not Quite say bmf

   Posted on 12:00am Thursday 17th Jun 2010

   News that a new ‘motorcycles in bus lanes’ trial will be run in London’s red route bus lanes has been met with a cautious welcome by the British Motorcyclists Federation.

   Having actively campaigned for wider bus lane use for over fifteen years, London’s current eighteen-month trial, ending on July 5th, followed a commitment from Mr Johnson given to the bmf in the run up to the Mayoral elections, so while pleased at the trial’s qualified success, the bmf is nevertheless disappointed that yet another trial is being introduced and the effective this will have on other local authorities.

   The bmf knows that many local authorities with bus lanes are already cautious over opening them up to motorcycles and this further trial will do nothing to encourage them to introduce bus lane use. The independent report on the existing trial, carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), found that ninety-three per cent of motorcyclists and 51 per cent of cyclists and car and van drivers supported the ‘Motorcycles in Bus Lanes’ trial and that fears of an increase in cyclist collisions with motorcyclists were unfounded.

   The report actually found that there was a fall in the cyclist collision rate across trial bus lanes and despite 51 per cent of motorcyclists switching to bus lane use, there were no fatal accidents over the period of the trial. It was also found that motorcycle journeys were now more than 10 per cent quicker than those not using bus lanes and 36 per cent quicker than cars.

   Against the positives, the report found that there was a slight increase in the rate of motorcyclist collisions, predominantly with cars turning into or out of side roads, hence says Transport for London, the need for a new trial with greater education of other road users.  Driver awareness is blamed as a key factor and says the bmf, if bus lane access was more widespread across the UK, drivers would become more aware and thus reduce accidents.

   Commenting on the report the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said that the initial trial has shown some positive results and that “the chaos that was predicted by some doomsayers has clearly not materialised and, as I suspected would be the case, we have found substantial support for the measure.”

   The bmf’s Government Relations Executive Chris Hodder commented: “While we’re pleased with a continuation of bus lane use, the bmf are keen for other local authorities to allow motorcycles access to bus lanes and therefore to change expectations of who or what might be there. We are however pleased to see that the Mayor has decided to address this problem with a better awareness advertising campaign."

   For the TfL report
   

4. London Mayor Extends Motorcycle Access to Bus Lanes

   Posted on 12:00am Thursday 17th Jun 2010

   Mayor Boris Johnson has today announced he will continue to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes, operated by Transport for London (TfL), for the time being. Johnson observed, ' The chaos that was predicted by some doomsayers has clearly not materialized and, as I suspected would be the case, we have found substantial support for the measure."
   
   An 18-month experiment was carried out to see if a permanent arrangement would improve road safety and the various studies reveled:
   
   .       More than half (51 per cent) of motorcyclists switched from riding on the outside of the road to the bus lanes   
   
   .       Fears of an increase in cyclist collisions with motorcyclists were unfounded  
   
   .       Journeys made by motorcycles using bus lanes were, on average more than 10 per cent quicker than those not using bus lanes and 36 per cent quicker than cars
   
   Rides are Voters (RAV) welcomed the news but warned that riders, TfL and other road users must all play their part in making bus lanes safe for riders everyone
   
   The Mayor has done the right thing after taking this opportunity to look at the real causes of collisions. Once again it has been shown that allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes has created no greater risk for riders and other vulnerable road users.
   
   "However, the findings seem to show that both motorcycle users and pedal-cyclists may be bearing the brunt of falling driving standards." said MAG General Secretary, Nich Brown
   
   RAV supports TfL advice that drivers need to be sure they are not putting anyone at risk, especially when turning across bus-lanes at junctions. However, the group warned that simply relying on an appeal for better driving and enforcement of motorcycle speeding offences will not address the fundamental problem of poor junction design where collisions have increased.
   
   Riders are Voters are calling on TfL to investigate low-cost improvements and new junction designs. Steve Kenward, CEO of the Motor Cycle Industry commented " This news of continued access to bus lanes is a positive step in the right direction.  Bus Lane access has worked well across the country and if TfL are willing to look at improving junction design on some of the busiest roads in the UK, then riders and other road users outside of the Capital will also benefit.."
   
   Chris Hodder of the British Motorcyclists Federation (bmf) said. "Continued access to bus lanes for riders in London is fantastic news.  The comprehensive refutation of many of the claims of those opposed shows that arguments against allowing motorcycles into bus lanes are rapidly evaporating under close scrutiny.  Obviously there is still a problem with driver awareness, but we are pleased to see that the Mayor has decided to? address this with better advertising as a first step."
   
   RAV has also called on the DfT to support the extension of motorcycle access to bus lanes everywhere. Nich Brown said:  "The efforts made by TfL to get things right should be supported by all local councils who operate bus lanes. In particular, those London boroughs who currently deny access for motorcycles should consider the adverse effect they are having on road safety by creating confusion and lack of consistency. Road safety will be maximised once all road users know to expect to see bikes legitimately using all bus lanes"

5. Westminster Residents And Businesses Launch Petition Against Motorbike Parking Charges

   Posted on 12:00am Friday 11th Jun 2010

   Residents in Westminster have shown signs of losing patience with the Council over its insistence on retaining motorcycle parking charges in the face of massive opposition from the biking community.
   
   The petitioners say: “We are sure that very few have escaped having their daily commute in Westminster blighted by the recent series of demonstrations by angry motorcyclists campaigning against the introduction of parking charges for motorcycles. Whilst originally infuriated, and initially assessing their complaint to be selfish and inconsiderate, we took it on ourselves to look more closely at the basis of their complaint and, having seen irrefutable evidence of a total lack of genuine justification for the City Council to impose a levy where there has never historically been the need, we have compiled a petition on our website” 
   
   www.wccpetition.co.uk
   
   Warren Djanogly, Chairman of the No To Bike Parkign Tax Campaign, said: "It seems that residents are now more aware than ever of the way in which this Council has blatantly ignored thousands of bikers, and are continuing to line the pockets of the private companies contracted to enforce these charges, at a cost to the rate-payer of over £400,000." 
   
   Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said; “There is massive opposition to Westminster Council’s motorbike parking charges from residents, commuters and local businesses. There is no justification for charging motorbike owners to park on the street. No other Council charges. The Westminster motorbike parking tax is all about raising money for Westminster Conservatives so that they can plug a big hole in the Council’s finances.” 
   
   “This is a time for common sense to prevail. The motorbike parking charge is Westminster’ s ‘poll tax on two wheels’ and like the poll tax it is hated and should be scrapped”