Challenge motorcycle road pricing plans

Riders need to act now to challenge plans for road pricing for bikes, the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) has warned.

Motorcycle Industry Association policy director Craig Carey-Clinch says riders need to make their views known to regional transport authorities planning to charge us pay-as-you-ride charges from 2012.

MCN out August 22, 2007, reveals how plans for road pricing with no exemption for motorcycles have been drawn up in Cambridgeshire. Draft plans set out charges of £3-5 a day to enter a Cambridge congestion zone for all vehicles including motorcycles.

The region joins Manchester in announcing plans for road pricing without exemptions for motorcycles. When Manchester’s plans were unveiled in May, the city’s transport authority said cars would be charged £5 a day to enter a congestion zone and that motorcycles would get a discount but not exemption.

Since then the authority has dithered and said it hasn’t decided after receiving many objections from riders. Last week, a spokesman said motorcycles were “not excluded” at this stage.

Government has indicated that regional road pricing schemes are likely to influence future national plans.

Craig Carey-Clinch warned that regional road pricing for bikes would lead to the same nationally if not stopped now.

He said: “I think we all know the underlying motive here is to pilot schemes that could be used nationally. It’s all part of the softening-up process.” 

Manchester and Cambridge have said public consultations will be conducted later this year or early next – but there’s no need to wait. Make your views known now using the details below.

Get MCN tomorrow, August 22, 2007, to find out what other regions are considering charging us to use the roads.

Cambridgeshire
Read more about Cambridgeshire plans here

Send your views to: tackling.congestion@cambridgeshire.gov.uk