On the Road Again!

A friendly reminder that the MAG Annual Group Conference is just over 1 week away . Membership Check:  If you're planning to attend, now's the perfect time to verify your membership expiry date. Need to renew but missing your login details? Email Central at  central-office@mag-uk.org  or call us during office hours on 03300 560 886—we're here to assist. Event Details: AGC Meeting:  Saturday, 27th September 2025, starting at 1:00 PM (MAG members only) Site Open:  From 12 noon on Friday 26th September to Sunday, 28th September 2025 Venue:  The Canberra Club, Samlesbury Aerodrome, Myerscough Road, Blackburn BB2 7LF Additional Highlights: Campers, motorhomes and tents are welcome—no pre-booking required! Enjoy live DJ entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights plus Saturday night band- Restless Angels 24-hour toilets and showers Food available all weeken We look forward to seeing you there.   Central Office The Motorcycle Action Group Limited Tel:  0...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has submitted three major policy reports to the Department for Transport and Transport for London. The reports draw on motorcyclists' unique road safety perspective to propose solutions for casualty reduction stagnation affecting all road users. The reports present a complete framework for implementing MAG's "Welcoming Roads" approach. This has been developed through four years of policy work. It draws on motorcyclists' distinctive position as road users who experience both vulnerability and mobility. As both vulnerable road users and motorised traffic participants, motorcyclists encounter the full spectrum of road safety challenges daily. This dual perspective has enabled MAG to identify systematic approaches that could break the casualty reduction plateau. This plateau has affected all road user groups since 2010. It moves beyond fragmented policies that address different user types separately. Building on formal recognition fro...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) today submitted our response to the Government's consultation on automated vehicle safety principles. We propose a practical framework to help deliver promised road safety benefits with specific measurable standards ensuring motorcyclists benefit from these improvements. Our submission addresses a critical gap in current automated vehicle regulation. The law requires vehicles to match "careful and competent human drivers" but provides no measurable definition of that standard. With motorcyclists making up 315 of 1,695 total road deaths in 2023 despite being less than 1% of traffic, we believe current human driving standards are inadequate for protecting vulnerable road users. Objective Standards for Safety We propose adopting Stephen Haley's Speed, Space, Surprise, Consequence (SSSC) model to define competent driving objectively. Haley detailed this model in his book "Mind Driving." The model gained widespread support when f...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), the UK’s leading voice for riders, has submitted its vision to Transport Scotland’s ‘Just Transition’ consultation. Scotland’s Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced in April 2025 that the 20% car use reduction target by 2030 was “not realistic.” She told MSPs, “We will need to drop the target, or change it from 20%,” citing minimal progress since 2020. This policy failure demands a re-think, opening doors for motorcycling, previously ignored in car reduction plans now under review. Cars dominate Scotland’s roads, causing congestion and emissions. Motorcycles offer a practical solution, affordable for Scots of all incomes. “Hyslop’s admission creates space for bold alternatives like sustainable motorcycling for Scotland,” said Colin Brown, Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement at MAG. “Motorcycles are environmentally friendly and ready for a just transition.” MAG says sustainable motorcycling transforms transport options   for Scotl...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) is proud to announce International Ride To Work Day 2025. Set for Tuesday, 10 June, MAG calls on riders across the UK to hit the roads and showcase the power of two wheels. Fewer Emissions!!! As the Government shapes its Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS), MAG is leading the charge to prove that mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles are vital.  They are a practical, sustainable transport future. With congestion clogging Britain’s roads and emissions targets looming, this is the moment for riders to ride loud and proud. MAG’s vision - submitted to the INTS call for ideas - highlights how motorcycling slashes traffic. Motorcycles cut emissions and give people real travel choice: urban and rural alike. On 10 June, riders will turn that vision into action, demonstrating how two wheels ease gridlock, from London’s rush hour to Cornwall’s winding lanes. “This isn’t just a day—it’s a movement,” says Colin Brown, MAG's Director of Campaigns & Po...

MAG has launched a petition calling for the motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome to be reversed.  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 agains...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has submitted a bold response to the Government’s Integrated National Transport Strategy call for ideas. The response demands an end to motorcycling’s neglect in transport planning.  MAG is urging the government to recognise motorcycles as a vital part of the UK's transport future. This submission comes at a pivotal moment, following the Department for Transport’s (DfT) admission that "at present, the Government has no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles." MAG’s response highlights decades of policy failures that have reduced mobility, increased congestion, and ignored air quality benefits. A truly integrated, safe, and efficient transport network must acknowledge motorcycling as a sustainable, flexible, and cost-effective transport solution. Key themes outlined in MAG’s submission include: Embedding Motorcycling into the National Transport Strategy.   Consider motorcycling across all areas of transport planning, including infr...

Our annual Fred Hill memorial run will leave from the Ace Cafe as usual – please gather from 10:30am for an 11am start. This year marks 41 years since Fred died in prison! You will need a ULEZ compliant bike, or to pay for access on the day. Ride of about 30-40 minutes at normal London speeds into central London – meeting at main entrance for Pentonville Prison, where Fred died in ’82, while serving another sentence for fighting for bikers rights.

Last year saw levels of concern for the interests of motorcyclists significantly decline under a new Government. The Government needs to prepare for MAG’s lobbying to be far louder and prouder in 2025. Despite glimmers of hope in the first half of 2024, the general election marked a change of trajectory for the fate of UK motorcycling. Riders saw early promise with motorcycle licensing reform on the agenda and a default motorcycle access in bus lanes consultation. But hopes were dashed after the general election with a shelving of licence reform and a shocking refusal to accept the overwhelming evidence in favour of consistent national policy on bus lane access. The bus lane access consultation outcome issued in November carried a comment that was heard loud and clear by all riders around the country.  “At present, the government has no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles.” This statement has been repeated directly by the Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, in a written...

Bath Council backs down. Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council has withdrawn plans to introduce emission-based charges for motorcycle parking. B&NES Council said yesterday that amended emission-based parking charges will be introduced in January 2025. However, following a strong campaign, the Council has decided to back down on the motorcycle charges. A brief statement said: “Introducing emission-based charges for motorbikes has been withdrawn due to feedback received through the public consultation and technical challenges in providing them a lower parking charge. MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said: “We are delighted that motorcycle parking will remain free of charge in Bath and surrounding towns. But we need to be mindful that the statement from the Council suggests we have won on a technicality rather than winning in principle. We must remain vigilant for a renewed attempt to introduce charges for motorcycles further down ...

Leeds and Bradford MAG will fight Leeds City Council’s underhanded motorcycle parking policy changes.  The Council announced plans to charge for car parking whilst neglecting to mention that plans cover motorcycles too.  Leeds and Bradford MAG (L&B MAG) is gearing up to resist a covert policy change on motorcycle parking charges by Leeds City Council.  Plans announced by the City Council will introduce car parking charges at three parks in the city.  Despite there being no reference to motorcycles in the consultation documentation, L&B MAG sought reassurances that motorcycles would not be affected. In a shocking response the council said: “We can confirm that at present the proposals within the parking order do include motorcycles under the definition of a motor vehicle as being expected to pay for parking.” Thanks to extreme diligence L&B MAG has uncovered this decision which contravenes current policy to allow motorcycles free parking throughout the cit...

MAG has sought and received confirmation that the Government’s new Motor Insurance Taskforce includes motorcycle insurance in its remit. Announcements were made last week of the first meeting of a new Government Motor Insurance Taskforce.  The pledge to deal with spiralling car insurance costs was included in Labour’s election manifesto. MAG expressed concern that all the rhetoric mentioned car insurance exclusively, as did last week’s announcements.  The Department for Transport (DfT) press release stated: “New taskforce is a major step forward in getting a fair deal for UK drivers by rooting out factors that increase costs for car insurance industry.” MAG has since obtained confirmation from Department officials that motorcycle insurance is within the remit of the new taskforce. MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said: “Whilst it is disappointing that we need to go through the process of ensuring the interests of motorcyclists are being cove...

On Wednesday 11th September, motorcyclists in Northern Ireland took their case for recognition of their safety needs to Stormont to put it to the people who can make the right decisions - the NI Assembly Committee for Infrastructure, which advises the Minister for Infrastructure on policy and legislation development.  The purpose of our meeting was to give the committee members the motorcyclists' perspective on for example, and hear what motorcyclists think can be done to make improvements.   Martyn Boyd, the NI Representative for Motorcycle Action Group (MAG: www.mag-uk.org) put forward our perspective on the state of our roads and road safety in general concerning motorcyclists and how we are affected by poor road conditions at a Committee evidence session. He was assisted by Colin Brown, MAG-UK Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement who attended via video link. Martyn made it clear that Northern Ireland’s roads are in crisis and, in many places, the condition...

International Ride to Work Day is moving from the third Monday to the second Tuesday in June from this year.  This auspicious Move on Motorcycling means Ride to Work Day 2024 is just one week away on Tuesday 11th June. International Ride to Work Day is being promoted in the UK by the Motorcycle Action Group.  It was announced last year that Ride to Work Day - previously held on the 3rd Monday in June - will move to the second Tuesday in June. The Ride to Work Organisation, based in the US, is a non-profit organisation, advocating and supporting the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation. They explained that in certain years, the 3rd Monday in June may fall on the recently established United States federal holiday of Juneteenth and many business and government entities will be closed. Because RTW Day is about riding to work (as well as for utility transportation), they decided to break with tradition and move the event to the Second Tuesday in June.  This day i...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) asks riders to get creative in the  general election campaign.  As well as providing a Move on Motorcycling  template letter to get things moving, MAG is offering prizes for the  most impactful and original approach to getting motorcycling issues into  the political debate. MAG is asking riders in the UK to get creative in their approach to  placing motorcycling in the general election discourse.  The ‘Act Now’  page recently added to the MAG website offers a template letter for  riders to use when asking candidates for their views on motorcycling  issues. https://mag-uk.org/act-now/ The template letter is designed in a way that any rider can pick which  issues are of most relevance to them as an individual, but still promote  the overall Move on Motorcycling manifesto.  But MAG are stressing that  letter writing is simply the first strand of a highly creative and  varied approac...

The general election has been announced.  Polling day is the 4th July. The time for planning is past, the time for action now starts. Please make sure every candidate in your constituency gets to see the  Move on Motorcycling manifesto https://mag-uk.org/move-on-motorcycling/ . Find your local candidates by entering your postcode at  https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/   and start lobbying them today.  Send them  a link for the Move on Motorcycling manifesto document  ( bit.ly/moveonmotorcyclingpdf ) and ask them why should I vote for you?

Camden Council has voted through parking charges for motorcycles. They are planning to charge all petrol bikes the same as low emitting car at £150 a year, and charge commuters £600 a year to park. This is outrageous and clear attempt to drive bikers out of London This may not affect you but if we don’t fight charges like everywhere then it will spread! Stopping parking charges in one Council means every Council is less likely to even consider it. This is just the first part of the fight. The next stage will be the final ‘statutory’ consultation - this will be a vital opportunity to force them to make further changes or drop the changes entirely. This will not be a normal consultation, they have to respond to each response individually in writing, if you present evidence they must read it and respond, if you give alternative options they MUST consider them. When this consultation comes out we will send it over to you, please look out for it, we will need everyone to respond to stop the...

I first joined MAG in around 1981 when I became active in the Suzuki Owners Club in London and we attended shows with MAG London. We used to run competitions at shows that by today's standards would be considered sexist, although guys took part as well as females. Say no more. Over the years I was just a paying member, it's sort of conscience money. They work for motorcyclists rights and we pay. For a while in the early 2010s I was involved locally in Kent but dropped out as it seemed the local group was becoming the fiefdom of a couple of people. Everything done as a group was always their work.  So I went back to being a pay up every year member letting others get on with the work. Is renewal time for me. But for those not members, MAG needs money to keep fighting.  https://mag-uk.org/motorcycle-action-group-membership/

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), the UK’s leading voice for riders’ rights, prepares for another busy year defending motorcycling. MAG will continue to robustly defend riders’ rights and to ensure that motorcyclists influence local and national government policies in the year ahead. Looking forward to 2024, MAG’s Chairman, Neil Liversidge, said: “In 2023 MAG celebrated its 50th Anniversary by working harder than ever for motorcyclists and motorcycling. Our aim is to top that in 2024, a year which will see a General Election being fought between parties whose policies will make most people much poorer through their hostility to practical personal transport. Our Operation Earthquake is ramping up. Climate change is being used as an excuse to exterminate motorcycling as we know it, for no real benefit to anyone and certainly not the environment. We shall never accept the death sentence that all the main parties have passed on our way of life. In 2024 we aim to create a political earthqu...

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), the UK’s leading voice for riders’ rights, reflects on the past year and looks forward to another year of positive outcomes for motorcyclists. As 2023 draws to a close, MAG can report significant progress throughout the year, and will shortly be gearing up for another year of action and engagement. Summing up the past year, MAG’s Chair, Neil Liversidge, said: “As it does every year, MAG has campaigned up and down the country on behalf of its members and the wider motorcycling community.  Wherever it sees discrimination against riders, it is challenged.  Where bikers are ignored – for example by omission from Transport Plans – MAG engages with the decision-makers to ensure that there is inclusion. Last year we launched ‘Operation Earthquake’, and I am happy to report that this initiative has been steadily gathering momentum with significant political engagement. MAG continues to promote motorcycling as part of the solution when it ...