MAGNEWS: Default Bus Lane Access: Sign the petition now!
Last year’s motorcycles in bus lanes consultation resulted in a decision against adopting a national default policy. MAG vowed to mount a full campaign to get the outcome reversed.
That campaign launches today with the publication of a government petition. The petition was raised by MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown.
The petition format allows for only a very brief description, so MAG has also published three supporting documents.
The first is a longer version of the petition wording, better laying out the argument of the petition.
Secondly there is a detailed analysis of the consultation responses from 46 key stakeholders. These consultation responses were provided via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request lodged by MAG. These responses allow us to see the detail of arguments against the default policy.
Finally, the third document is a detailed argument for the reversal of the outcome decision.
MAG is urging all riders to sign the petition. It also calls on all rider organisations and the motorcycle press to promote the petition. Whilst the government will respond at 10,000 signatures, MAG want to hit the 100,000-signature target. This has the potential to trigger a vital parliamentary debate.
MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said:
“The petition is only a part of our campaign to get this default access policy across the line. It will be pivotal though, supporting the direct engagement with politicians that will be going on behind the scenes. We are actually a lot closer than you may think to winning this campaign. If you read right to the end of the consultation outcome the Department for Transport (DfT) says that they will do three things. First, they will update their guidance document. This will advise local authorities to work together to get consistency of provision across boundaries. Secondly, they will work with the metro mayors and combined authorities to encourage a joined-up approach to motorcycle access. And thirdly they will take comments into account in future changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions.
This amounts to a default access policy in all but name.
We just need to make sure they follow through on these promises. And then they must openly state that this is a default policy position to avoid confusion and continued arguments.”
We can get this across the line. Act now to sign the petition which can be found here: https://petition.parliament.
View and share the YouTube petition video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ENDS
Contact MAG at 03300 560 886 or central-office@mag-uk.org
Notes for Editors
The Government petition can be found here: https://petition.parliament.
The full motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/
The extended version of the petition can be found here: https://wiki.mag-uk.org/
MAG’s analysis of the consultation responses can be found here: https://wiki.mag-uk.org/
MAG’s rebuttal to the consultation outcome justifications can be found here: https://wiki.mag-uk.org/
Central Office
The Motorcycle Action Group Limited
Tel: 03300 560 886
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