MAG News - Mayor Khan’s bike tax will charge poorest workers £12.50 a day to enter London

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) is challenging the Mayor of London with three clear questions regarding 'extraordinary and discriminatory claims about motorcycling in London.'

MAG has challenged London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, to justify 'some of the biggest transport contradictions in London's history' – following what they feel is a 'discriminatory' plan to charge motorcyclists for using the eco-friendly option of powered two wheelers (PTWs).

London's Regional Rep, Tim Fawthrop, called Khan's comments about motorcycles in a letter to Conservative MP (now Minister) Kelly Tolhurst 'extraordinary and discriminatory.'  Tim says 'in his reply to Ms Tolhurst, Mayor Khan states that charging users of older bikes £12.50 a day will – and I'm quoting his words directly here – deter the use of older vehicles, including those with highly polluting two-stroke engines.  Doesn't he realise that these bikes often do more than 120 miles per gallon, and produce far fewer emissions than many exempt vehicles?  

He doesn't offer a single data source for his claims yet the poorest workers in London who depend on older motorcycles to get to, say, City Hall to clean his office, and whose commute currently costs about £1.20 a day, will pay an extra £12.50 every day to him and his authority – for the privilege of emptying his bin.  That's not just wrong, it's disgusting.  So, I've got three questions for him:

1) Why are riders of older, small-capacity bikes being charged when other forms of transport, e.g. taxis, which produce considerably higher emissions with a single occupant, aren't?  We're not asking for taxis to be charged – only for a level playing field.

2) Why does the Mayor want to force riders onto a public transport system that will expose them to up to eight times more particulate matter, according to publicly available research, than using private transport such as a motorbike, when the whole purpose of the change is meant to be environmental and health related?

3) Will Khan compensate the thousands of low-paid workers using small, older motorbikes because it's all they can afford, and what scheme will he be setting up to pay the difference in cost between cheap, older bikes and expensive public transport?

If he can't answer these questions satisfactorily, he'll be proving that this tax on older bikes is discriminatory and a social injustice that could seal his political fate at the next Mayoral election.  MAG is asking all riders to contact the Mayor and ask these three questions. Please also contact your MP to challenge Mr Khan.  The lack of understanding about basic transport theory in which motorcycles, regardless of age or size, reduce net congestion and pollution, is something which should concern all London citizens, not just bikers.'

MAG urgently requests you to make your views known before 28th February 2018 online, at:

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/environment/air-quality-consultation-phase-3b/?cid=airquality-consultation

Contact MAG at 01926 844 064 or central-office@mag-uk.org

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Notes to editors

Reference to particulate matter research:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/people-who-use-tube-exposed-to-eight-times-as-more-air-pollution-than-those-who-drive-to-work-a3467006.html

Letter from Kelly Tolhurst MP to MAG South East  Regional Rep, Steve Mallett

Dear Mr Mallett

Following your correspondence and my enquiry to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, I have now received the attached response regarding the inclusion of powered two-wheelers in the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

I note from this response that Mr Khan has no plans to exempt motorcycles from the ULEZ or the current daily charge for those motorcycles that do not meet the emissions requirements. However, I also see that he is consulting on proposals to expand the ULEZ to the North and South Circulars for cars, vans and motorcycles which will be disappointing news.

While this is a consultation, I suggest you engage with the debate by following the link provided and adding your concerns. It may well be worth sharing this amongst your friends and family who share your concerns to ensure motorcyclists voices are sufficiently heard.

I appreciate this will not have been the response you will have hoped for but the consultation offers the opportunity to highlight your calls on a bigger level. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Kelly

Kelly Tolhurst MP

Member of Parliament for Rochester & Strood

Tel: 0207 219 5387 – Westminster

Website: www.kelly4rochesterandstrood.com

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA