2022-23 Motorcycle Theft Stats for Leeds and Bradford

Leeds and Bradford MAG carries out an annual survey of motorbike theft stats in the Leeds and Bradford police divisions. The stats are collated via a Freedom of Information Act request (https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/leeds_and_bradford_motorcycle_th_4). Additional stats are available from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/user/marcus_houlden/requests. We now have stats for 1 June 2022 – 31 May 2023 and these are the main findings. The raw data we used to generate these statistics is available as a CSV.

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Kirkstall Road Motorcycles in Bus Lanes Trial 

The Leeds and Bradford Motorcycle Action Group welcomes the decision by Leeds City Council to allow motorcycles to use the bus lanes on Kirkstall Road for a trial period of 12 months from 29 July 2022. We believe that this will make travel along this route faster and safer for all forms of transport.

The Leeds transport vision is for the city to be somewhere where you don’t need a car. Historically this has concentrated primarily on cycling and buses with motorcycles being overlooked, ignored or deliberately excluded. Agreeing to this trial after many years of campaigning by MAG means that Leeds is taking the first tentative steps to including a form of transport that is more flexible than buses and does not rely on the user’s physical ability as much as active transport.

The trial brings Leeds in line with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s 20 year transport strategy and means that four of the five authorities in West Yorkshire now support some form of motorcycle access to bus lanes. It gives Leeds an opportunity to become a leader in demonstrating alternatives to private cars. We look forward to it being implemented across the city. We also hope that other authorities will use this trial as a blueprint for policies that encourage the use of motorcycles

Richard “Manny” Manton, Leeds and Bradford MAG branch rep, stated:

“We are delighted that this motorcycle bus lane access trial has finally started. 

“The Kirkstall Road trial brings Leeds one step closer to removing an unfortunate misalignment with the WYCA’s twenty year transport policy.

“We are confident that the conclusions will be positive and city wide roll out on the successful conclusion of the trial has potential to help achieve the Council’s ambitions to reduce car use in the city 

“We are looking forward to a roll out across the whole of Leeds which will make motorcycling safer and an even more convenient alternative to the car.”

North Yorkshire Motorcycle Theft Stats

At Leeds and Bradford MAG we’ve been tracking motorbike thefts for several years. We’re currently investigating how to improve the low prosecution rate in Leeds and Bradford. Because there isn’t a formal MAG group for North Yorkshire we thought we’d find out what the situation is there. To do this we sent a Freedom of Information Act request to North Yorkshire Police. Our first request was refused because they said it would take too long. We put another request in asking for less-detailed information and got a response last week. It can be found at https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/motorcycle_theft_stats#incoming-1629005. we asked for statistics between January 2015 and June 2020 so we could compare year-on-year changes.

The main points are as follows:

  • Between January 2015 and June 2020 there were 1290 thefts in North Yorkshire
  • During the same time 395 bikes were recovered. This is a recovery rate of 31%
  • The number of thefts fluctuated but was generally around 250 a year
  • A total of 102 cases resulted in prosecution. This is a prosecution rate of 8%
  • Of the 6 police divisions, the ones with the highest number of thefts fluctuate between York and Scarborough & Ryedale

Attached to this post are some graphs showing the number of thefts by year, by area, and what happened each month. It takes time to bring a case to trial so prosecutions in a certain month aren’t the same as thefts.

North Yorkshire is the largest county in the UK. In the absence of a formal MAG group we’ll continue to monitor the situation and campaign to improve the prosecution rate. We’d like to get a group up and running so join the Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthYorkshireMAG/) if you’re interested. If you’re not a member of MAG you can join at https://www.mag-uk.org/.

2019-20 Leeds and Bradford Motorcycle Theft Stats

One of the biggest concerns at Leeds and Bradford MAG is motorcycle theft. Each year we put in a Freedom of Information Act request to find out how many bikes have been stolen in the Leeds and Bradford districts, how many have been recovered and what the prosecution rate is. We’ve just got the figures for June 2019 – May 2020. These are available from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/leeds_and_bradford_motorcycle_th#incoming-1598572. The main points for this period are as follows:

  • 874 motorbikes were stolen in Leeds and Bradford, down from 1094 in June 2018 – May 2019. This is a decrease of 21%
  • 510 bikes were stolen from Leeds, 364 from Bradford
  • A total of 433 bikes, or 49.5%, were recovered. Although this is a slight improvement from 2018-19 it still means you have a less than 50% chance of seeing your bike again
  • Just 3 cases resulted in a successful prosecution. These were all community sentences. There were no custodial sentences. 696 cases were closed because no suspect was identified
  • Bike theft fell massively following the lockdown in March 2020. In 2018-19 there was a dip over winter and it started to rise again from February 2019
  • The top three recorded locations for thefts are at home, on street parking, and open air car parks

So what is Leeds and Bradford MAG doing to reduce the number of motorbike thefts? There are 4 main aspects to consider: theft prevention, detection, prosecution and sentencing. Prevention is the easiest of these. We’re working with Leeds and Bradford councils to improve secure on- and off-street motorcycle parking. We’re also having discussions about an accreditation called Parkmark Plus. This will be awarded to public and private car parks that have secure motorcycle parking.

The other three are more difficult. Massive spending cuts mean that the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner is concentrating on 16 priority areas. Vehicle theft is not one of them. We’re trying to find out more about what the police and the Crown Prosecution Service actually do with reports of stolen bikes. There are plenty of anecdotes about them being run ragged around certain estates or broken up into parts.

We believe that what is currently treated as a low level property crime contributes to antisocial behaviour and helps to fund organized crime. We want to be sure that the police are not throwing away valuable evidence that would make a difference to the 16 priorities. When one motorcycle theft gang was jailed for a few months the number of recorded thefts declined sharply. It went back up again when they were released.

Because there is currently no North Yorkshire MAG group we are also starting to investigate motorcycle theft statistics there. North Yorkshire covers a very large area and has a number of motorcycle hotspots so it will be interesting to see what the theft stats are like.

The Police and Crime Commissioner elections have been postponed until May 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We intend to contact all candidates to ask for their positions on motorcycle theft. We would encourage everyone with an interest in motorcycling to do the same. If you’re not a MAG member, note that MAG has a reward scheme for information leading to a successful prosecution for theft of a member’s bike. One more reason to join us.

Panos Englezou

Our friend Panos Englezou’s funeral is to take place next Thursday, 7th May at 1.40pm

 Due to the current Coronavirus situation we are unable to give Panos the send off he deserves. 

 Unfortunately due to the restrictions, the funeral precession and service is by invitation only, so if you haven’t been invited, please stay away to save any distress to the family. 

 We’d love all his many friends to raise a glass to Panos at 1.40 on the 7th and join us later in the year to celebrate his life, once things return to normal. 

 Much love and ride safe

  Leeds MAG and Team Sober MCC

Corona Virus Update

It looks as though we’re living in very strange times at the moment. Government guidelines are saying that we should avoid mass gatherings and public places and after much discussion both with the National Committee and local reps we’ve come to the difficult decision that official Leeds MAG meetings will be suspended until further notice.

We will endeavour to have a social gathering on meeting dates (first Tuesday and third Thursday) at The Royal Hotel (LS28 8PR) but are asking that any member or supporter who falls into the “at risk” group and anyone showing flu/cold symptoms, please stay away until the virus passes.

We all need to be sensible and think of the more vulnerable members of our group and even though sensible doesn’t often feature in my vocabulary, as your rep I feel I have a duty of care to all bikers.

Stay safe and I’ll keep in touch via Facebook.

Manny

Leeds MAG Virtual Hustings 2019

At Leeds MAG we strongly believe in the idea of “My bike, my life, my choice”. We also want to do what we can to help people make an informed decision. The general election on the 12th of December will be an important one for various reasons. Whatever the outcome there are likely to be big changes ahead. With this in mind we got in touch with as many candidates as possible in every constituency in Leeds and Bradford plus Harrogate and Knaresborough. Our team of volunteers sent the following email to every candidate that we could find contact details for:
 

Hello. I’m a member of the Motorcycle Action Group and I live in the <constituency>. As of November 2018 there were 57,000 holders of full motorcycle licences in the BD and LS postcode areas. I’m interested to know what your position is on the following motorcycle-related issues so I can share them with our members.

1. Motorcycle theft is a major concern. What steps would you take to reduce it?

2. How do you see motorcycles fitting into promoting sustainable transport and alternatives to private cars?

3. How would you ensure the interests of motorcyclists and “the right to ride” are protected in potential future legislative changes?

4. What measures would you take to ensure the interests of motorcyclists are not adversely affected by autonomous vehicles, “black box” telemetry and other changes in technology?

If you’d like to know more about the Motorcycle Action Group you can visit the website at http://www.mag-uk.org. You can find out more about the Leeds branch at https://leeds.mag-uk.org or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LeedsMotorcycleActionGroup/.

Thank you.

We’d like to thank Manny, Paul, Dave, Keith, Chris, Nikos, Dan and Matt for doing this.
The responses that we’ve had are organized by constituency. We’ll be updating this list as they come in. Who you should vote for is your choice but hopefully it should help you make your decision.
 

Leeds Central

Ed Carlisle – Green Party

1. Motorcycle theft is a major concern. What steps would you take to reduce it?
 
Above all else, I’m interested in the Green Party’s commitment to decentring policing out of mega-stations like the one at Elland Road, and seeing more police officers present more of the time in communities. I also personally would like to see commitments from the police, regarding how they will relate (and specifically, respond) to residents. Too often people feed info in, and it might or might not be used, but the residents are left in the dark, and are unlikely to have any indication as to whether it’s been worthwhile. This breaks the relationship between community and police. To build up police capacity, but also the willingness of local people to cooperate with them, we need more of this. I’m also personally very committed to N’hood Watch (am currently helping to set up / support three.) Finally, I’d also be int’d to hear what you think – you’re at the coalface, you see this issue, and you probably have better insights than any of us.
 
 
2. How do you see motorcycles fitting into promoting sustainable transport and alternatives to private cars?
 
They’re good. The Greens have them mid+ way up their hierarchy of transport modes – definitely above cars.
3. How would you ensure the interests of motorcyclists and “the right to ride” are protected in potential future legislative changes?
 
Is this right under threat? I’m largely libertarian (wanting to give people max freedom, as much of the time as possible), so would happy to work with you on this.
4. What measures would you take to ensure the interests of motorcyclists are not adversely affected by autonomous vehicles, “black box” telemetry and other changes in technology?
 
This is really interesting, and concerning. I have serious concerns about autonomous vehicles, on several fronts. Again though, I’m sorry, but I don’t have answers – and it’s not spelt out in our manifesto. But, as above, one of my main beefs with politics is that (too often) the ‘experts’ (ie the people at the coalface/grassroots – in this case, you) are not front and centre regarding policy making. So, sorry to throw it back on you, but what you do, what do you foresee, and what you do propose? Many thanks, best wishes.

Bradford West

Darren Parkinson – Green Party

The Green Party are supportive of smaller, low powered motorcycles in general preference to cars (especially those with a single occupant) as they take up less road space and are more economic consumers of fuel. However, the Green Party does not wish to see increased use of motorcycles because they emit pollution and noise and can endanger road users. The aim is to encourage much less use of high powered machines and for low powered machines to offer an alternative for those who currently use these or cars and could not transfer to more sustainable modes.
Regarding motorcycle crime – The Green Party believe that everyone has a right to feel safe. We want to tackle the underlying causes of crime more effectively than CCTV cameras, stop and search or draconian sentencing can ever do. So we will focus on the prevention of crime with community-based policing, alongside investment in education and employment. Invest in youth services and centres, to help turn at-risk children away from crime. This approach, I believe will lead to a happier society where people and their property will be safer.

Keighley

John Grogan – Labour Party

Thank you for your email. If re-elected, I would be more than happy to meet you and discuss this issue further. As you can imagine; my time is a bit pressed right now, as I am trying to defend a slim majority of 249! However, I have been enthused by the motorcycle industry’s desire to introduce a greater number of electric bikes, and would like to hear your thoughts on this.

Leeds Central

Jack Holland – Lib Dems

  1. I had my moped stolen as a 17 year old… And car crime is a big issue in Leeds (I live in Hyde Park where theft is high). CCTV can work and help with convictions.
  2. E-scooters etc are going to become hugely important as we transition to a de-carbonised economy. Motorbikes are much more efficient in terms of climate and road space.
  3. I don’t think this is at stake at present. Bikes are likely to be more important going forward.
  4. Policy should be research-led and evidence-based. So the science and tech are crucial.

Shipley

Philip Davies – Conservative

The motorcycle industry is extremely important to the Shipley economy and Shipley is a leading hub in this sector.
You and your members are clearly have more expertise than me in this field. Any action on these or any other issues you would like to see taken by the Government, Bradford Council or the Police please let me know and I will very happily lobby them on your behalf.
I would also be happy to meet with you and your members to discuss your concerns in greater detail.

Bradford East

Linden Kemkaran – Conservative

thank you for your email, I do hope you, or a representative can come to my public meeting this Thursday 5 Dec, details are below.
I look forward to hearing about your concerns.

Leeds West

Mike Davies – Alliance for Green Socialism

Thanks for your email. I’ll do my best to respond to your questions, but I am not a motorcycle expert. (The nearest I came to owning a motor bike was trying to buy one in my teens. It wouldn’t start, so I didn’t. I did do a lot of push-bike riding.)
Theft: I can only refer you to our policies on community policing, friendly communities and a local welcomed police presence. Do you have any good ideas?
Sustainable transport: I don’t know the figures but I presume that for personal transport a motor bike is mush more efficient than a car (far less metal to carry around). In that sense we would prefer bikes to cars. Similarly for road space.
Right to ride: I am not aware of potential threats to motor cycles in particular.
Autonomous vehicles: I think these are potentially a huge threat to all highway users. I concede that it is possible that an entirely autonomous world, where all vehicles were auto, might be safer statistically. However, a mixed-mode world scares me, especially with the recent occurences of auto vehicles confusing white lorries with the sky, and failing to see pedestrians. Obviously, to the extent that bikes are owned and ridden as a matter of pleasure rather than utility, a more autonomous world would be a huge problem. I would be interested to know your views on this.
I attach the general election manifesto of the Alliance for Green Socialism. Any comments or improvements would be welcome.

Daniel Whetstone – SDP

Thank you for contacting me. I have requested to join your Facebook group, simply so can learn and understand more.
I will be completely honest with you, I’m not a motorcycle person. I fell off my BMX so many times as a kid, that the prospect of getting on a contraption with two wheels and an engine just frightened me.
Obviously, we want to see more police, free to be active and effective against all crime not just motorbike theft. Nor stuck in the office swamped by bureaucracy and paperwork.
Regarding sustainability, you would have to educate me on what this entail in the bigger picture of things.
For all I have little personal desire to ride a bike, not even a push iron these days. People should have the freedoms and rights to choose such things as they see fit. Tolerance is a a big part of the SDP beliefs.
Over a pint, I have heard suggested by other bikers that there should possibly be restrictions on the engine size with regards the age/experience of the rider. To prevent it being too much to soon. But only as a safety concern. Which made sense to me. But is not set in stone.
What’s the fear and repercussions of black boxes then? I wouldn’t choose to have one in my car. But I get the impression you think this will be an inevitably you do not want. Why?
If I am able to I would happily meet to go over such concerns. Obviously it is a busy time right now. But let me know.

Pudsey

Quinn Daley – Green

Thanks for your patience for a response.
1. The Green Party believes in restorative justice for crimes. We believe it’s better for perpetrators to be required to make reparation for their crimes, rather than be subjected to punishments that do nothing to improve the situation for the victim of the crime and are not always effective in rehabilitating offenders. Theft is often motivated by social conditions, and a Green government would take major steps to improve the social conditions that lead to theft, for example by introducing a universal basic income so that everyone has enough money for a basic standard of living, and by transferring the focus of drugs policy from a criminal issue to a healthcare issue, breaking the link between drugs and crime.
2. I’m not familiar with advances in motorcycle technology so please forgive me for not knowing much about how to answer this question. I’m aware that low-powered motorcycles such as scooters are much better for the environment per-person than cars, especially if the cars only have one occupant, but my (perhaps outdated) knowledge is that motorcycles are almost always operated on fossil fuels or renewable carbon-based fuels such as biodiesel. Is that correct? I think I would be keen to promote any fully electric or non-carbon fuelled motorcycles and I’d be very interested to hear more about these if you know about them!
3. Being honest, the Green Party is keen to prioritise the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users over those of motor vehicle users. However, there will always be a place for motor vehicles in society and we are not proposing scrapping roads for motor vehicles altogether! I think the problems we face on the roads right now are primarily due to cars and industrial/commercial vehicles, so changes that affect motorcycles would not be a major part of any legislative changes I would advocate for.
4. The Green Party applies the Precautionary Principle to technologies that have the potential to cause harm. That means that while we might see the potential benefit of these technologies, they should not be employed outside a scientific setting unless their danger to society has been carefully disproven. This means that certainly in the short term, under a Green government these technologies would not be introduced right away, and any gradual roll-out would be subject to testing that they do not interfere with the safety of other road users.
Thank you for getting in touch. If you have any further questions please do let me know!

Stuart Andrew – Conservative

Thank you very much for taking the time to get in touch with your questions.
I recall our previous exchanges on this issue and I am aware of how seriously you take your role as Representative to the Leeds Motorcycle Action Group, which is commendable. I appreciate you have some specific questions that you are putting forward to the Pudsey candidates which I have tried to answer the best I can below.
I do appreciate concerns over motorcycle theft and I understand the Conservatives in Government set up a new Home Office task-force to tackle vehicle theft this year. This task-force replicated the successful model used to reduce moped crime in London and therefore is of great benefit to motorcycle owners. I would of course be happy to reach out to the Home Office if I am re-elected in December to ask what steps the task-force are taking specifically to address the issue of motorcycle theft and share your views on the issue with the task-force so that these can be taken into account.
Given the climate change crisis and recently announced target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, sustainability is of course on the agenda and I appreciate this may be of concern to motorcyclists. That said, it is apparent within the automotive industry that manufacturers of all types of vehicles, including motorcycles, are moving towards cleaner and greener technology as an alternative to the internal combustion engine. I do appreciate the benefits of reducing private car usage from a sustainability perspective and I do indeed see a place for motorcycles in doing so.
I can appreciate that autonomous vehicles and advancements in technology would be of particular concern to motorcyclists. However, my understanding is that the technology has been developed with the mindset that autonomous vehicles will still need to be able to detect and avoid sudden obstacles, such as pedestrians or motorbikes. With that in mind, I can answer your two final questions by saying I would strenuously oppose the induction of any technology that would endanger motorcyclists and other road users. If re-elected, I would not hesitate to make these concerns, or any other concerns, that the Leeds Motorcycle Action Group are having clear to the Government and Department for Transport should such a situation arise in the future.
You will hopefully be aware from our engagement over the years that I am always happy to help raise your concerns with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council and the Department for Transport where appropriate to request changes that will better protect motorcyclists on your behalf. If I am re-elected, I will of course continue to do so.
I hope that answers your questions and thank you for taking the time to raise these with me.

Morley and Outwood

Craig Dobson – Lib Dem

1 Theft may well reflected the high levels of social inequalities which the Liberal Democrat manifesto will address. Education and local police will also deter. I am also open to other ideas and suggest we talk if I am elected.
2 Certainly better than cars but not as good as the bicycle. The latter is not appropriate for most people on longer distances and some people with disabilities. I think it might fuse with electric bikes.
3 Bicycles will be supported. I think we must make the case for the motor bike use for historical vehicles (which they will become) and the motorised form which can take people long distances with minimal pollution especially if the disposal of batteries is considered. They will also be seen as a leisure pursuit out of town. I will support their continued use.
4 AI driven vehicles are still along way off in reality. The human brain deals with unexpected events so much better. I imagine we will have separate lanes for AI vehicles on motorways and designated lanes in cities with lots more park and ride.

Leeds East

Richard Burgon – Labour

Richard Burgon here. Many thanks for taking the time to email me about various important motorcycle related issues.
I must admit, I am no expert on motorcycles, having never been a rider myself. If I am re-elected on December 12th, it would be great if you could come to one of my advice sessions so that we can discuss the questions listed above further and I can better understand the kinds of issues motorcyclists like yourself are facing.
With regards to vehicle theft, the Conservatives, who have been in power since 2010, have cut more than 20,000 police since 2010. A Labour Government will restore police numbers and have 2,000 more officers on the frontline. In West Yorkshire, the number of police officers cut was 645.
Since then, recorded crime has risen, including cases of vehicle theft.
A Labour government will invest in policing to prevent crime and make our communities safer. We will rebuild the whole police workforce, recruiting more police officers, police community support officers and police staff.
I hope this information is of some use, but as I say, in the event that I’m re-elected and therefore become an MP again, please do come to see me at one of my MP’s advice sessions so we can have a chat about motorcycle related issues and you can tell me more about what you believe needs to be done, and what can be done.

Shahab Adris – Green

Many thanks for your email. It was very interesting to read and to learn about MAG UK. My initial response is that I need more awareness about motorcycle related issues. If elected or not, I’d love to sit down with you sometime to chat about all the things that concern you and your members.
In response to your questions:
1. Theft of any kind should be dealt with utmost seriousness. I’d like to learn more about any trends and patterns of motorcycle theft so we can put forward appropriate measures. I think this is a team effort so will need your expertise and suggestions to see how we can reduce and even stop any further theft.
2. I’m definitely up for promoting environmentally friendlier modes of transport. Although will need to be realistic when it comes to families who require larger vehicles. I’m interested in motorcycles myself so will be interested to see how we can promote this particular mode of transport.
3. I’d like to know if these rights are under threat? But of course will encourage all sensible and safe policies ensuring the right to ride.
4. I definitely need more information on this. Can you shed more light on these concerns please?

Sarah Wass – Brexit Party

Thanks for getting in touch. First of all, I think you ought to know I am a fan of all things two wheeled !
I understand your concerns about some of the below and in-fact, with the alienation of all things petrol/diesel, I’m surprised that motorbikes are not being discussed.
So here is a quick summary of my views :
1. Theft and crime is a huge issue and is top of my agenda for Leeds East. We must get more police on the ground and make a concerted effort to reduce all vehicle theft, which often facilitates more crime. I myself was impacted twice in less than two months by vehicle theft and I really didn’t feel like it was a priority. I firmly believe this was a resource issue.
2. I do. Whether motorcyclists see it that way is another thing. There is much more to do on the technology front to ensure there are more fuel options which are affordable to all, whilst still maintaining the thrill of the ride.
3. I would ensure any legislative changes would not alienate this group. On the basis our roads are overcrowded, motorcycles are not tapped into as much as they could be.
4. Technology should be there to help and not hinder – otherwise what is the point.

Harrogate and Knaresborough

Mark Sewards – Labour

Thank you for your message. I’m not an expert on these issues at all but I’m willing to be educated especially since there are so many motorcycle license holders in our region.

Labour wants to tackle crime, including motorcycle theft, by reversing the Tory cuts to the police and re-establishing neighbourhood policing to keep our communities safe.

I can’t say I have a definite position on the other issues raised in your email but I’ll look into how we can address these challenges and read the information you have sent across.

If elected, I’d be happy to meet with the Motorcycle Action Group to discuss your concerns.

Kieron George – Yorkshire Party

Thanks for reaching out to me on behalf of MAG. My main mode of transport is my electric bike, so I face a lot of the same issues as Motorcyclist.
1. I have had two of my electric bikes stolen previously, neither of which have been recover so the current inadequacy of protections in this area. I completely agree we need better security in this area.
2. Currently Motorcycles represent about 1% of transport emissions (which represent a third of UK emissions), and is not a major concern, but improvement to electric transport infrastructure would see some changeover to greener electric motorbikes, and carbon offsetting can easily cover Motorcycles emissions.
3. As a cyclist myself, I will no tolerate any infringement on the rights of any riders, whether they ride pedal, motor, electric and horses.
4. The recent death of Elaine Herzberg due to a Uber self-driving car is an outrageous example of gross negligence and recklessness. I will not tolerate any leniency when it comes to AI or any other technology that puts lives at risk.

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IMPORTANT – Change of Meeting Details

In the survey we held a couple of months ago some people said they couldn’t attend on Tuesdays. We’re therefore changing the day of our second meeting each month to Thursday. This means we will meet on the first Tuesday and the third Thursday of the month from August 2019 onwards. Our meetings will be on the 6th and 15th of August,  3rd and 19th of September, 1st and 17th of October and so on. Same time, same place, just a different day.

Leeds MAG Newsletter June/July 2019

It’s been a hectic few weeks since the last newsletter which is usually the case during these warmer months.

At the beginning of June I attended the National Committee meeting in Warwick

Here’s the update from the June NC meeting

DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) are pushing councils towards charging motorists in CAZ’s. Coventry’s plan not to charge has been rejected and they’ve been told that they have to charge all petrol and diesel vehicles. DEFRA have to approve all CAZ proposals nationally so this could cause a lot of issues.

Dr Gary Fuller has produced a document entitled “The invisible killer – the rise in the global threat of air pollution” that has some very dubious ways of measuring air quality and also seems to unfairly target PTW’s. Colin Brown has been in dialogue with him and has blown his arguments to pieces. He’s backtracking massively now so hopefully Colin can stop this document being taken seriously by the authorities

Pollution on the underground currently stands at 30 times that of the average London street which makes a mockery of the current war on motorcycles

The campaigns team is at war with TFL regarding motorcycles being included in ULEZ charging. An injunction is too risky and a judicial review is too costly so MAG is currently a case for the ombudsman to review against TFL’s actions.

Vision zero continues apace in London – no road deaths by 2041! So far this year 94 miles of roads in the capital  have had 20mph limits imposed, even though it’s been proven that these limits don’t affect casualty rates and increase pollution.

Every police and crime commissioner post is up for election in 2020. We’re looking to get FOI requests from all police constabularies regarding bike thefts and make this an issue nationwide in these elections

As part of this campaign I’ll be sending out a separate email in the next week with contact details for your local Police and Crime commissioner. We’d like you to email, Facebook and Tweet to them, voicing your concerns about bike theft and asking them what they’re doing about it. This type of campaign really works as it’s our way of putting pressure on from the very top. Let’s start to fight back on the theft issue that has gone on for far too long in ever increasing numbers.

The MCIA (Motorcycle Industry Association) have chosen not to promote ride to work week any more as they’re concentrating on other “micro mobility” forms of transport, so MAG is going to approach the world wide organisers to see if we can promote it from now on. It’s a great way to get MAG’s name out there.

FEMA are looking into electronic detection systems on modern vehicles and their impact on motorcycling.

The nominations for awards at AGC will be discussed at the next NC meeting. If you have any nominations from your group, can you let me know who they are, why they should get an award and a proposer and seconder (with membership numbers) as soon as you can so that I can get a list going. As the AGC is in West Yorkshire at the end of September, it would be great to get some local members getting recognised.

Here is the link to the current “Network” which will keep you informed with MAG happenings around the country:  https://wiki.mag-uk.org/images/5/5d/Network_2019-07.pdf

Locally things are moving on apace. I had a meeting with officers at Leeds City Council regarding secure motorcycle parking. As you’ll be aware we’ve secured £15,000 per year, per Council for four years in West Yorkshire that is ring fenced for secure motorcycle parking. Leeds have now gone one better as they hadn’t spent last year’s money due to city centre developments, so they’ve got the 2018 money plus the 2019 money giving us £32,000 to spend throughout the Leeds City Council area. They have rounded this up to £50,000! Hopefully we can help them to spend it wisely. Already ambitious plans have been drawn up for one of the multi storey car parks to have a dedicated motorcycle parking areas with extra CCTV, bars to lock to and a narrow entrance to stop cars/vans entering. I have another meeting at the end of July so I’ll keep you up to date.

It looks as though we’ve finally got movement on motorcycle access to bus lanes in Leeds after 7 years of trying and two months after Richard Lewis was voted out. We seem to have an ally in Councillor Lisa Mulherin who now holds the Transport portfolio.  There were some write ups in the YEP, T&A and BBC website saying that LCC were looking at discussing bikes in bus lanes with quotes from two councillors, one positive and one negative.I was phoned at The Farmyard and asked to do a live radio interview on BBC radio Leeds which seemed to go well.On my return from the Farmyard I emailed councillor Mulherin thanking her for allowing the matter to be discussed and offering to attend the discussions to answer any questions and also to offer pillion rides to any councillors interested, so they can see the issues faced by bikers in this congested city.

You’ll hopefully be aware that one of the stalwarts of Wakefield MAG, Justine wife of Wakefield Rep Steve Travis, passed away after a short battle with cancer several weeks ago. For Justine’s last ride there was a really good turnout. I contacted the police for help in getting the bikers in attendance from Tingley to Cottingley but they refused to help. On discussing it with some of the Wakey lot we decided to marshal the route anyway. It went very smoothly and we were commended by the hearse for the way it was done. It’s never an easy task to get 100+ bikes anywhere in one group so thanks must go to all those who helped. Justine will be greatly missed by all her MAG family.

We had a very successful Farmyard Party. I did the set up week which is always good fun. The weather was great and the bands that I saw were excellent. Attendance was up with lots paying on the gate. The only real downer was a few tent thefts on the Friday evening. This unfortunately seems to be the case at most rallies these days so please look after your belongings and take a bit of responsibility for your actions.

Next up for Yorkshire MAG is the Yorkshire Pudding Rally. Always my highlight of the rally calendar, tickets can be bought online, from selected local dealers or from your local meetings. Here’s the link to the ticket line. https://www.mapevents.co.uk/tickets_where.html

We had some new merchandise at The Farmyard Party that sold really well, to the point that we’re currently restocking again for a The Pudding. The only change from below is that we’re having some of the beanie hats done without the “Yorkshire” font on the back, as strangely, some folk didn’t want it to say that on it, so just to please the foreigners were having some done both with and without Yorkshire on them. Below is another rundown of the latest merchandise and if we can facilitate it, we’re going to look at doing an online shop so you can still show your allegiance, even if you can’t get to a rally to buy one in person!  We have a revised Yorkshire MAG T-shirt, some new embroidered beanie hat, and we also have both Yorkshire MAG stickers and screen/window stickers. All will be available from KevKev at the Yorkshire Pudding merchandise store. For images, please see:  https://www.facebook.com/yorkshiremag/

Yorkshire Pudding Rally marshals registration will be closed in a few weeks time. We’re always on the look out for new marshals, because without our marshals we can’t put the rallies on. We’re almost like a family within a family and I can say from personal experience that marshalling at our rallies gives a whole new appreciation of them and is fantastic fun. Anyone marshalling is given a good package for stepping forward which makes it a win/win situation. Email mag.marshals@live.com for more details.

We’ve got a few events coming up in the next few months that you may want to add to your diaries.

Huddersfield MAG Elland Gala Parade on Saturday 6 July 2019: The parade sets off from the C of E school (which is at the bottom of Westgate, Elland approx post code HX5 0BJ) at 11.30am, thus it will help if you can arrive by 11.15am. The Gala Committee would love for us to park our bikes up in one of the car parks after the parade allowing families to come and have a look and chat with the owners.

Saturday 27th July – Leeds MAG’s third Yorkshire Day celebrations @ The Royal Hotel LS28 8PR from noon. Live music, Barbeque, tombola, raffles, Yorkshire quiz, evening disco. Everyone welcome.

Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th August – The Yorkshire Pudding Rally @ Escrick Park near York. £25 prebook. https://www.mapevents.co.uk

Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September – SPAT Back Into Hull @ Leven Social Club, North Street, Leven, HU17 5NF.  Tickets are limited and only available to buy at Yorkshire Pudding Rally

Saturday 28th September – MAG Annual General Conference (AGC) will be held this year at Shawcross ARLFC in Dewsbury and will be hosted jointly by the Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield MAG groups. Secure camping on the Friday and Saturday nights, live music and biker quiz on the Friday followed by the conference on Saturday and fresh from their Farmyard Party big top appearance, we’ve secured The Interiorz to headline our AGC party on the Saturday night. The party is free to members and £3 to non members.

Finally if you want to get more involved at a local level (and to really get the most out of your MAG membership, I strongly recommend that you do) here are our meeting details – though we are looking to expand with more groups so if you haven’t got one close by and fancy getting together with like minded bikers, get in touch with me at manny@mag-uk.org

We’re very lucky in having some very strong groups in Yorkshire, but we need the members to join in, so pop along to your local meeting and help to make a difference

Leeds MAG meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday from 8pm at The Royal Hotel LS28 8PR

Ride safe

Manny (Leeds MAG rep)

Leeds MAG Newsletter – April/May 2019

Welcome to the latest Leeds MAG newsletter A week last Sunday we had the Yorkshire MAG meeting at The Royal Hotel in Pudsey. It was well attended, with all Yorkshire branches in attendance. West Yorkshire is very busy with all the five West Yorkshire Councils moving on getting secure motorcycle parking in place not only in the city centres but in the outlying towns as well. Unfortunately the 2+ lane down Stanningley Road in Leeds looks set to become a full time bus lane after a consultation. This will mean that motorcycles will no longer be able to use this lane as currently, bikes aren’t allowed to use bus lanes. We are working very hard on this situation and the Leeds Political Rep has done some fantastic research to show the council and some of its councillors up for the lying, cheating charlatans that they are. Hopefully after next months local elections, we’ll be dealing with different councillors. If you want to read Marcus’s blog which has now been published independently follow this link https://westleedsdispatch.com/guest-post-why-stanningley-road-bus-priority-measures-may-not-work/ Leeds MAG are carrying out a survey to find out more about what matters to riders, whether or not they’re MAG members. Fill it in at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZPCK5DB and share it with your friends. There’s a chance to win a Leeds MAG t shirt and a year’s MAG membership if you do. Following the complaint I made against my local councillor and the subsequent grovelling apology I received back, we’ve put in a freedom of information request to see the evidence that they say they used to reach a decision on bikes in bus lanes. We still await a response and we strongly suspect that personal prejudices were used rather that hard facts. Both of our political reps StevieB and Ian have been pulling out all the stops for MAG members throughout Yorkshire and they deserve our thanks. Here is the link to the current “Network” which will keep you informed with MAG happenings around the country. This month it’s in two parts. https://wiki.mag-uk.org/images/7/74/Network_2019-03.pdf https://wiki.mag-uk.org/images/b/b7/Network_2019-03_part_2.pdf Membership remains steady throughout the region as is generally the case at this time of year. When you come to renew, please think of doing it by direct debit as this way, it’s all done automatically and you continue being a MAG member. Traditionally, this time of year is always a quiet one but behind the scenes at MAP HQ, everything is coming together nicely to give you the three best rallies on the biking calendar. Tickets are now on general sale and all the info you need is here https://www.mapevents.co.uk/tickets_where.html We’re always on the look out for new marshals, because without our marshals we can’t put the rallies on. We’re almost like a family within a family and I can say from personal experience that marshalling at our rallies gives a whole new appreciation of them and is fantastic fun. Email mag.marshals@live.com for more details. Last Saturday Leeds MAG hosted Ed March at Squires Cafe, where he gave us a brilliant talk on his ride from Alaska to Argentina on his C90. Everyone went home with big smiles on their faces and we raised just over £900 for MAG so massive thanks go to all who came along and supported us. We’ve got a few events coming up in the next few months that you may want to add to your diaries. Tuesday 9th April – Leeds MAG Easter Egg Run to Lineham Farm Children’s Centre. Meeting from 6pm at Cardigan Fields car park (behind McDonalds on Kirkstall Road) to leave at 6.30pm to ride in convoy to the centre. Please bring as many Easter Eggs as you want. Everyone welcome Sunday 21st April – MAG visiting The Craven Collection. Meet at Squires @ 11am to leave at noon to ride to the Craven Collection Motorcycle Museum at Stockton on the Forest. £5 entry. All members welcome Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th May – Into The Valley Rally @ Sledmere House. Weekend ticket £25 prebook. https://www.mapevents.co.uk Sunday 19th May – Yorkshire Regional Meeting @ The Royal Hotel, Pudsey, LS28 8PR at 10am.  All MAG members welcome. Finally if you want to get more involved at a local level (and to really get the most out of your MAG membership, I strongly recommend that you do) here are the meeting details of the five Yorkshire MAG groups – though we are looking to expand with more groups so if you haven’t got one close by and fancy getting together with like minded bikers, get in touch with me at manny@mag-uk.org We’re very lucky in having some very strong groups in Yorkshire, but we need the members to join in, so pop along to your local meeting and help to make a difference. You don’t need to be a member to come along. Leeds MAG meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday from 8pm at The Royal Hotel LS28 8PR Ride safe Manny (Leeds MAG rep)
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