Securing the support of Parliamentary candidates for motorcycling.

A Call for Action to Riders.

The forthcoming General Election is probably the most important for motorcycling for a generation. We face a situation where, like 1997, all political parties have everything to play for. With a strong likelihood of a change in Government, we now have a real opportunity to reshape the narrative and thinking around motorcycling and send a clear message to candidates about what riders need from a new government.

Our aim is to repeat a successful campaign, held back in 1997, when thousands of riders contacted their candidates and awareness of biking issues and the specific needs of the motorcycling community was significantly raised, to the extent that the new post-election Government committed to developing a motorcycling strategy, which was published in 2005. A new and much longer term strategy is now needed and our aim is to build on what was learned before and with our partners across the motorcycle sector ensure that long term policies are put in place which protects the right to ride motorcycle of all kinds and in all places and ensures that government builds motorcycling into its plans for the future of transport to deliver a bright and sustainable future for UK motorcycling.

Our manifesto for change is focused around 7 key priorities:

1. Transport Choice: Bringing motorcycling into the mainstream of transport policy
2. The introduction of improved and simplified licensing, training and testing
3. Ensuring better and safer roads for riding, tackling potholes and with proper investment in motorcycle safety.
4. The adoption of a “technology neutral” approach to decarbonisation to preserve rider choice.
5. Default access to all bus lanes and protecting motorcycles access to the full road network, including sealed and green roads.
6. Ensuring greater recognition of and support for the UK motorcycle sports sector.
7. Recognition of the cultural importance of the classic bike sector and protection for the UK’s motorcycling heritage.

But to achieve this mission, we need YOU! Real change comes from riders becoming active in each constituency across the country. Individual MPs have a duty to listen to their own constituents views and it’s now time to let your future MP know yours! This will allow riders organisations and the National Motorcyclists Council develop a powerful body of opinion in Parliament post-election, which will enable us to generate real and positive change for motorcycling. However, the campaign is open to all riders, not just members of motorcycling organisations.

The next election will decide the future of motorcycling across the UK. We need your help now to ensure that the next government delivers the necessary policies to fully realise the benefits that motorcycling can bring to the UK’s future travel, commuting, leisure and sporting needs.

What Can I Do?
We are asking for your support in generating a nationwide impact on the views of parliamentary candidates. This will be achieved if all riders follow the steps below:

1. Find out who the major party candidates in your constituency are – see below – to search for the details you need, emails and addresses. If you wish to write to other parties as well, there are a range of online tools to find their details. We have focused on the major parties as these are most likely to return an MP to Parliament in the majority of constituencies.
2. Please send a version of the draft covering letter and summary of the motorcycling manifesto, which is in the boxed text below. If you have a specific local issue to raise, please do that as part of your covering letter.
3. Ask them to sign the Pledge Card. This will open an email dialogue box addressed to the campaign team. Please do not sign the pledge yourself!
4. Ask them to reply to let you know their views on motorcycling.
5. Finally -and importantly – please email any replies you receive. This will allow us to gather specific views of prospective MPs, so we can contact them to follow up after the Election.

If you meet a candidate, you may want to ask them if you can take a photo of them holding a copy of the pledge. A pledge card can be downloaded here.

The Campaign team very much appreciates your help. We have an opportunity to make a real change for motorcycling with this campaign and with your help we can achieve this.

Many thanks from the National Motorcyclists Council and its members, the Auto Cycle Union, the British Motorcyclists Federation, IAM RoadSmart, the Trail Riders Fellowship and the Vintage Motorcycle Club.

Click here for a downloadable Word version or copy/paste the text in the box below.

FIND YOUR CONSTITUENCY AND CANDIDATES

The links below will take you to sites which are regularly updated with candidate details. You can use a search function to find your candidates from each party.

The NMC will soon publish an up to date single searchable resource for this.

What is my constituency?
These links will help you find what constituency you live in search by postcode:
https://news.sky.com/story/postcode-search-find-out-the-new-constituency-youre-in-and-how-its-changed-13049018
This link will tell you your constituency and current MP: https://members.parliament.uk/constituencies

Who are my Candidates?
The link below will take you to a website where you can search for your candidates.
https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/ppcs/

Sample letter – please use and adapt as you feel necessary, via either email or post. Please also send the summary of the manifesto below the letter. Your details Candidate details Date Motorcycling Matters I Ride, I Vote Dear #####, I am contacting you as a candidate in your constituency for the General Election. I am a local motorcyclists who is among approximately 5,000-plus other riders in your constituency. (I am a member of #### motorcycling organisation). I am keen to know your views on motorcycling and would like to ask you to support the motorcycling manifesto ‘Motorcycling Matters’, which has been prepared by several leading UK motorcycling organisations. The manifesto sets out measures that need to be taken by the incoming Government which will deliver to ensure a bright, safer and more sustainable future for UK motorcycling. As riders, we need a strategy which recognises the huge benefits that motorcycling brings to the UK’s future travel, commuting and environmental needs – plus supports the leisure, sport and heritage aspects of motorcycling. Motorcyclists also seek a future that recognises what riders want to ride, with full access to all roads protected. As a local motorcyclist, I would also like to ask you to support (Please insert here any issues you would like to personally raise). I attach a summary of the motorcycling manifesto below. A full version can be found here. Please Pledge Your Support: I would like to ask you if you could support motorcyclists in your constituency by signing the motorcycling pledge, which can be found here. I look forward to hearing from you. (sign off) A Manifesto for Motorcycling and the future of transport. A Summary With a core base of nearly 1.5 million regular riders and 3.5 million licence holders, on average 5,400 people per constituency, the £7 billion pound a year motorcycling sector boasts over 58,000 employees across 5,500 businesses, spread across UK parliamentary constituencies. The motorcycling manifesto summarised below, sets the priorities for motorcycling that riders need government to deliver to ensure a bright and sustainable future for UK motorcycling. They are based on proposals from riders representative organisations who have asked their many thousands of members what they want. This can be summarised as a future that recognises what riders want to ride, where they want to ride and the ability to ride on safe roads, with infrastructure that supports motorcycling. Motorcycling organisations also seek an acceptance of the importance of UK motorcycling and the key contribution it can make to social mobility, economic growth and future environmental solutions. But to deliver that future, we need action now. As well as a new vision for UK motorcycling, that fully recognises the vital role that motorcycling has to play in forging a more sustainable, efficient and greener transport future. We need a government committed to bringing motorcycling into the mainstream of future UK transport policy; to fully realise the benefits that motorcycling can bring to the UK’s future travel, commuting and leisure needs. The next government must provide the clarity of direction and the support that the sector needs to make the UK once again lead the world on all areas of motorcycling. The manifesto for change centres around seven key priorities: Genuine Choice for Future Transport Needs Motorcycle use helps reduce congestion and pollution, while offering lower cost transport choice and mobility for work, education, leisure and tourism. They are a key part of the future of transport, which contributes to cleaner, greener and more mobile cities, plus increasing options for rural transport. Motorcycling needs to be brought into the mainstream of transport policy, recognised and facilitated as a positive low and zero polluting form of commuter and leisure travel. Improve Licensing, Training and Testing Current licensing requirements hinder access to riding due to their complexity, repetition and high cost which discourages potential riders and embeds a culture of ‘permanent learners’. They have also not improved safety -rider deaths have risen since they were introduced. Better and Safer Roads for Riding – Tackle the Scourge of Potholes Road infrastructure design guidelines for safer motorcycling are in urgent need of updating.. Motorcycling must also fully benefit from investment in ‘Vision Zero’ and ‘Safe Systems’ measures. Smart Motorways must be properly reviewed and any changes must take account of motorcycle safety. Action is needed now to remove the significant danger from poor roads maintenance and potholes. A new government must demonstrate greater urgency by accelerating and increasing investment. Adopt a technology neutral approach to decarbonisation The road to net zero must be proportionate, pragmatic, and realistic. Mopeds and motorcycles have an important role to play in the future of transport and riders need flexibility and choice. All political parties should embrace a variety of emerging technologies, including e-fuels and hydrogen, not just battery electric. Protect and improve access to all types of highways – Default access to bus lanes Access to the full road network, designed to keep motorcyclists safe, needs to be secured and protected. There must be better and more equal treatment of motorcycling in the statutory regulation of traffic on both sealed and green roads. Motorcycle access to bus lanes needs to be made a default measure to improve the safety of riders. Adequate free and secure parking provision must also be provided across all local authorities. Celebrate motorcycle sport There needs to be greater recognition and support for the UK’s £1billion motorcycle sports sector and its position on the world stage. The same is needed for grass-roots sport and also the tourism economy. Regulations need to be amended to ensure that a level playing field of high-quality standards apply across the sport. Recognise the Cultural importance of the Motorcycle Sector As an important part of the UK’s cultural heritage, sport and recreation, there should be no time limit introduced on how long older bikes can be ridden on any road. Access to all highways needs to be maintained and the 40-year cut-off for historic vehicle status kept in place. This summary focuses on what is needed for moped and motorcycle riders. A more detailed version of this manifesto, designed for policymakers and with links to further information, is available here.

Pledge Your Support

Please support us by signing a pledge, signalling your commitment to supporting motorcycling for the benefit of society and the future of transport.