Worrying Research Shows Lack of Motorcycle Parking Spaces
Councils in the UK have come under fire as research shows a serious lack of dedicated parking for motorcyclists
Dedicated parking spaces for motorcyclists is as low as 41 per cent in the UK’s local authority-run spaces, with councils coming under fire as a result.
The latest research report was carried out by insurance broker Bikesure, where it revealed that only 4241 spaces are dedicated to motorcycles despite there being more than 1.4 million licensed bikers on the roads.
The research also accounts for more than one million bays, meaning bikers have fewer than 12,000 bays to use for parking.
While the numbers for England are worrying, they are even more bleak for Scotland and Wales with only 197 and 140 dedicated parking bays for motorcyclists, respectively.
The numbers make for pretty glum reading, however, some brighter spots include London which offers close to seven per cent of all dedicated parking spaces in the report, all of which are free to use.
Additionally, the Stratford-on-Avon Council currently allocates the most dedicated parking spaces for bikers in the UK, with a total of 159 available in the area.
Rob Balls, Bikesure general manager, said: “Our findings lay bare the reality that UK motorcyclists are being undoubtedly overlooked when it comes to the safe and secure parking of their machines. It’s concerning to us that, despite there being over 1.4 million licensed bikes on our roads, our councils have made provisions for fewer than 12,000 of them. This just doesn’t feel good enough.
“Of course, we can appreciate that space and resources are limited and not every council can follow Stratford-on-Avon’s lead. Nonetheless, we believe that riders deserve the same consideration and consistency as is given to car drivers. Clearer rules, fairer charges, and safer, designated areas would go a long way in helping bikers feel recognised and respected on the road.
“It’s time for all local authorities to recognise the scale of the problem and start addressing the imbalance. The numbers just don’t add up, and bikers deserve better.”
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
