UK government forgets that motorcyclists are vulnerable too

THE GOVERNMENT has published a two-year action plan to improve the safety of vulnerable road users including walkers, cyclists and equestrians, but seems to forget that motorcyclists are just as vulnerable as the other groups on the list.

The paper, published today, goes into great detail about how it aims to make the roads a safer place for cyclists and walkers by introducing a cuddly sounding ‘cycling and walking champion’ to promote bicycle and pedestrian friendly policies…

The Cycling and Walking Minister (yes that’s a real job-title folks…) Jesse Norman said:

“Greater road safety— and especially the protection of vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders – is essential. We want to improve air quality, encourage healthy exercise, reduce obesity and boost our high streets and economic productivity.”

Maybe someone should go give Jesse a tap on the shoulder and remind him that motorcycling does all of those things too – and it adds more to the economy through road tax and fuel duty than power walking or gymkhana do.

In fact, motorcyclists are looked at with such disdain by the government that the new paper not only omits us from coming to the party for vulnerable road users, they actually imply that we need to take extra training to help keep all the public safe!

“The action plan will also assess whether insurance companies could offer discounts to drivers and motorcyclists who have passed Bikeability training.”

Sounds like a waste of time and effort to me as some underwriters in the UK already give a discount to riders who undertake AIM training, BikeSafe and the like.

What do you think of the new plans and do you feel that bikers in the UK are handled fairly by the government??

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.