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Inclusion of Motorcycles in Transport Planning
Issued 10th May 2005
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) is keen for local transport planning to be seen as a vital and essential public service that can be relied on not just to solve problems, but to deliver equality of opportunity to all.
Therefore as a representative of Powered Two Wheelers (PTW – motorcycles – scooters – mopeds) MAG is contacting councils to define the needs of PTWs and their riders in Local Transport Plans.
Local Transport Plans need to fulfil the needs of all road users and recognise that all modes of transport within a transport hierarchy are a viable option and MAG’s strategy is that PTWs can:
• Offer a viable transport alternative.
• Aid sustainable transport.
• Represent a significant transport mode.
• Can help achieve shared targets.
There is no single ‘type’ of person who rides a PTW, users come from every walk of life coming from the same cross-section of the community as the users of any other transport mode.
MAG therefore supports the government position that local transport planning is seen as a vital and essential public service that can be relied on not just to solve problems, but to deliver equality of opportunity to all.
Within the complexity of transport use and planning, differing transport modes face concerns from many quarters with regard to road safety, none more so than PTWs. MAG is addressing these concerns through various means, including supporting training initiatives, such as BikeSafe, and addressing attitudinal changes to riding in both urban and rural conditions. MAG would stress that local authorities must play a crucial role in PTW casualty reduction strategies aimed at all road users.
The design and maintenance of the highway infrastructure must be taken into careful consideration as it is a key factor for PTW safety. Regard needs to be given to junction design, sight-lines, road maintenance, the location of street furniture, together with potholes and inconsistencies in the road surface which can present major hazards to PTW users.
MAG’s main recommendations for PTWs in Transport plans include:
• Safety campaigns.
• Parking – sufficient and secure.
• Bus lane and advanced stop line access.
• Highway design.
• Transport Forums.
England outside Greater London
Local Transport Plans outside London are prepared by Transport Planning Authorities. These are generally County Councils, but also include some of the former Metropolitan Counties, such as Tyne and Wear and Greater Manchester. In counties which include a Unitary Authority (such as Bedfordshire and Luton), responsibility for preparing the Transport Plan is shared between the County Council and the Unitary Authority. This means that one Plan covers a number of local council areas.
Greater London
Transport planning in Greater London operates on two levels. The Greater London Authority (GLA), through Transport for London (TfL), manages approximately 580km of the Capital’s Roads. The remaining 95% of roads are managed by the 33 London Boroughs. The Mayor also has control over the bus and underground network. Transport policy in London is driven by the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, which was adopted in 2001. This is a strategic document which sets out the Mayor’s overall aims and objectives for London’s transport system. The responsibility for the responsibility for implementing the Mayor’s strategy at a local level rests with the London Boroughs.
A full version of MAGs presentation for the “Inclusion of Powered Two Wheelers in Local Transport Plans” can be downloaded HERE (PDF 566 KB) and is also available in a stand alone narrated Powerpoint presentation by contacting MAG UK.
If you would like any further information then please contact our Local Transport Plan co-ordination officer, Gerard Livett, on 020 7226 6999, or by e-mail via director-gl@mag-uk.org
Issued by
Trevor Baird
Director Of Public Affairs
The UK's Leading Riders' Rights Organisation
www.mag-uk.org
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