Author: marcus

Motorcycles in Bus Lanes – Campaign Note

Political

Access to bus lanes improves safety for motorcyclists, it helps ease congestion, reduces pollution and promotes the use of motorcycles as an alternative to cars. MAG has raised a government petition to allow motorcycles access to bus lanes by
default. MAG want to hit the 100,000-signature target to trigger a vital parliamentary debate. This will be pivotal in supporting the direct engagement with politicians that will be going on behind the scenes.

Bus LanesDownload

Leeds and Bradford MAG Easter Egg Run

News

We had yet another bumper turnout for this year’s easter egg run to Lineham Farm Childrens Charity. We have been delivering easter eggs to Lineham Farm for over 20 years, and every year local bikers never fail to support us.
Thanks to the amazing generosity of people, we were able to donate just over 200 eggs (plus an assortment of other sweets for children that are lactose intolerant so that they don’t miss out)
Around 30 bikes set off after a free breakfast at the Burley Biker Breakfast (a regular local bike community event) to deliver the eggs; a good turnout helped, no doubt, by the breakfast, a warm day and wall to wall sunshine.
A big thankyou to Steve and the crew for the breakfast, and to Rossanna at Leeds Motorcycle MOT Centre for acting as a collection point

Dave Nash

Leeds and Bradford MAG win fight to keep secure parking

News, Political

When it came to light that Leeds Council were planning to remove two secure parking bays, our campaigns officer (Marcus Houlden) was immediately on the case. The proposal was to remove the secure parking bay in Great George Street and
move the existing bay in Wade Street – but with no guarantee that the new bay would be able to secure the same number of motorcycles.
After raising objections to the plan and discussing the proposals with them, the Council has now agreed to retain the secure parking in Great George Street. The Council has also agreed to review the condition of the parking rails (often damaged
by cars) and replace them where required.
It’s also been agreed that the secure parking bay in Wade Street will be replaced further along the road. This is a better site than the one it’s replacing as it’s more over-looked and, importantly, is moved away from its close proximity to a main road junction.

Dave Nash

2022-23 Motorcycle Theft Stats for Leeds and Bradford

News

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.

» Read more

Kirkstall Road Motorcycles in Bus Lanes Trial 

News, Political

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News

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

News, Political
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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