The Motorcycle Action Group has met with the Minister of State for Decarbonisation and Technology to assert the Group’s opposition to bans on internal combustion engines.
The meeting took place last week, on 21 March 2023, between Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) Chair, Neil Liversidge, MAG Director of Campaigns and Political Engagement, Colin Brown, and the Minister of State for Decarbonisation and Technology, Jesse Norman.
MAG considers the opposition presented by European nations, such as Italy and Germany, to the EU’s decision to ban sales of new internal combustion engine vehicles from 2035 proof that the UK can head in a different way to Europe, and continue to embrace internal combustion engines (ICE) alongside electric vehicles.
MAG says that a purely electric mobility industry will “cause hardship for UK citizens,” and damage the UK economy. It says its own solution, presented to Norman, is a “radical alternative that will massively improve transport connectivity to unify the UK, improve air quality, and reduce emissions, whilst at the same time strengthening our country economically.”
After the meeting, MAG Char Neil Liversidge said: “We were not expecting the Minister to announce a U-turn on the policy in the meeting, but I can say that we have robustly presented the strength of feeling on the ICE ban. We briefly discussed MAG’s alternative solution for the future of transport with rapid expansion of an electrified public transport system allied to a diverse range of technologies in the private motorised sector. There are no reasons why electric and ICE vehicles cannot co-exist to create a diverse and resilient transport system.
“We are seeing Europe edging towards this reality, and the UK could lead the way. We have agreed to submit a fleshed-out proposal to Jesse Norman that will both meet the Government’s ambitions and avoid destroying the economy and motorcycling culture in the process.”
