Government admits road pricing for motorcyclists is just too difficult

Motorcycles are to be left out of road pricing trials because devising a system that includes charges for us is too difficult, Government has admitted. 

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said it was because companies providing the technology “will find it hard to facilitate a trial involving bikes as well”.

He added that there were “certain practical implications” of a road pricing system that included bikes.

The DfT had originally said motorcyclists would be among 1000 volunteer road users to take part in tests of pay-per-mile tracking technology that could be used in a national road pricing scheme.

But an invitation for private firms to tender for contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds to help create the new road pricing system stated only cars, light goods vehicles and lorries would be included.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly last month announced four years’ further funding for a number of regional road pricing pilots from 2012.  

To find out why a leading rider group thinks we’ll escape road pricing, get MCN, on sale April 30.