The Motorcycle Action Group has expressed outrage at the lack of consideration for motorcyclists in the latest review of the Highway Code announced today. The consultation – entitled “Review of The Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders” – makes no reference to the statistically most at-risk vulnerable road user group.
The consultation on proposed alterations to the Highway Code was published on the 28th July and is open for responses until 27th October 2020. The consultation website page states that the consultation is “seeking views on proposed changes to The Highway Code to improve safety for vulnerable road users, particularly the groups of: cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders”
MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said:
“This is a shocking demonstration of the lack of care for the welfare of the most vulnerable road user group on the roads. As motorcyclists, we have to face the accusations and vilification of our legitimate choice of transport mode, whilst simultaneously suffering a near complete lack of interest in making the roads safer for us. We take no issue with moves to improve safety for other road users, but this systemic and sustained process of turning a blind eye to the needs of motorcyclists is unforgiveable.
It is little wonder that motorcyclists get angry about this kind of thing, and we fully share their outrage. We consistently campaign for improved motorcycle safety and bend over backwards to support the limited number of initiatives designed to reduce motorcycle casualties, but the mere title of this consultation reveals the depth of the problem we face. How can it be that the most vulnerable road user group is the one road user group that is ignored?
We are calling on the department to immediately revise the wording of the announcement to include motorcyclists, and then to develop meaningful discourse on what amendments can be made to the Highway Code to help improve the safety of riders. We will be writing yet again to the Secretary of State for Transport and urging our members to write in the strongest terms to their MPs.
We are aware that our latest letter writing campaign calling on MPs to support our three reasonable demands for post-COVID transport restart upset the Department, but the Department should prepare for more upset in the coming weeks. We will not be silent until our right for a safe road environment is recognised.”