The fledgling Dorset MAG group, which only started in February, entered talks with Dorset County Council recently about motorcycle use and perception in the county.
Yesterday saw the first of what will hopefully be a series of incredibly constructive meetings at County Hall.
Not earth shattering news, I grant you, BUT what MAG achieved, was the initiation of the FIRST time the Council had put Local Transport Planners, the Road Safety team, Highways Management, Traffic Management, Road Engineers and the Police in one room to openly discuss the issues with Andrew Phillips the local MAG rep.
It was a refreshingly positive and constructive meeting and demonstrated how joined up Local Authority thinking can help reduce casualties and alter perceptions among all road user groups.
Dorset has a higher motorcycle casualty rate than the national average, but the meeting helped to identify where efforts needed to be concentrated with the limited budgets available and looked at age groups, attitudes, education and infrastructural changes.
The Council appear eager to be proactive and to listen to MAG members. They acknowledged that promoting motorcycling would itself help to reduce casualties as well as congestion and emmissions in the County.
Well done Dorset MAG, the voice of riders in the County.
Report by: Paddy Tyson