Riders’ Resistance


The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has announced that 5th and 6th July will be marked as Riders’ Resistance Weekend, a two-day national event with demonstrations across the UK. This weekend of action is in direct response to growing anger within the motorcycling community. The Government’s continued dismissal of riders’ concerns, and especially its plans to phase out the sale of ICE motorcycles, has sparked widespread frustration. MAG is organising regional demonstrations throughout the UK to give riders a powerful opportunity to take a stand.

Find an event in your area

Cumbria MAG have the following meetings planned.

  • Markus Campbell-Saviours MP at Caldew Village Hall, Silloth on Saturday May 31st at 1pm.
  • Josh MacAllister MP in Distington 13th of June.  
  • Michelle Scrogham MP at the Furness MAG Dead End Rally on the Saturday 12th of July .

Join the Cumbria MAG Facebook Group for more information and updates.

The London MAG Riders ‘Resistance event will be held at the Ace Café London, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, London NW10 7UD.

From 4pm on the 5th of July.

Featuring guest speakers, the Greater London MAG stand and the excellent Brad Luff performing.

Join the Facebook event for more information and updates.

The Northern Ireland Riders‘ Resistance event will meet at Main Gates, Stormont, Newtownards Road, Belfast.

Saturday 5th of July 3pm– 4pm.  

Join the Northern Ireland MAG Facebook Group for more information and updates.

North Kent MAG will be leaving The Nags Head, 292 Rochester High Street, ME1 1HS at 12 noon on July 5th.

Via A2, Leaving Esso Services (Cobham DA12 3BH) at 1300. Then Dartford Tunnel, A13 west, right on N Circular A406 to Ace Café where Greater London MAG are holding their Riders’ Resistance Event.

Join the Facebook event for more information and updates.

North West MAG Riders Resistance Ride Out – Preston to MAG Bike Show, Stanley Park, Blackpool Leaving at 12:00 hrs on Sunday 6th July from:

Essar Lea Gate Service Station, A583 opposite Lea Gate Hotel.

(What Three Words – waddle/apple/insert).

Directions

0.0 Miles – leave Lea Gate and follow A583 into Blackpool.

10.8 miles – after passing ‘The Clarence’ pub on your left, turn right at signals on to A587 to ‘Fleetwood’.

11.1 miles – first exit out at mini rdbt to ‘Stanley Park’.

11.9 miles – 4th exit our at rdbt through Stanley Park main gates.

(What Three Words – bells/cowboy/blast)

 

Follow MAG signs to Bike Show (£2 entry)

For more information contact north-west-region-rep@mag-uk.org

11am- South Wales MAG will be meeting at the Ty Nant Inn (over-flow car park), Ty-Nant Road, Morganstown, Cardiff, CF15 8LB at 11am on the 6th of July. Departing at 12pm to ride in procession through Cardiff to attend the demonstration.

1-3pm- MAG invites all riders to join a demonstration at Cardiff City Hall, Cardiff, CF10 3ND to make a stand for riders’ rights.

6pm- Welcome to join us for live music by “Fortunate Sons” at The Earl Haig Club, 22-23 Penlline Road, CF14 2AA (£3 per entry).

Join the Facebook event for more information and updates.

The Thames Valley MAG Riders‘ Resistance event will meet at Superbikestore, Reading Link Retail Park, Reading RG2 0SN.

Bike protest demo ride will be meeting from 12pm, leaving at 1pm on the 5th of July.

Join the Thames Valley MAG Facebook group for more information.

 

Instructions for the Demo Ride on Saturday 5 July 2025

View or download as a PDF 

This is not a slow ride, this is a safe speed, legal, non-threatening ride to show the impact if we cannot filter or access bus lanes, and have to ride like cars.

We are not “Bikes blocking the traffic” – We Are the traffic!

Before the Day

  1. Check out the route – see below. If you do not know central Reading well, try riding the route in advance or try it out virtually via Google Street-view or similar.
  2. Decide how you might display any point you want to make e.g. old t-shirt with writing on, flag or banner or notice on bike or top box etc. Choose a short message such as “Motorcycling – positive policies needed now” or “Motorcycles in bus lanes – safer for all” or “Beat congestion – ride a moped / motorbike” or “No daft parking charges for motorbikes”.  NB Avoid using Bike / Biker as it could be confused by some readers with pushbikes and cyclists……

On the Day – before the Ride

  1. Arrive in the Retail Park by 12:30 so you can meet up with others who will be on the Ride.
  2. Form groups of no more than 6 bikes/mopeds. This increases the impact of the protest and prevents legal objections of “Gangs”, Riding in Concert” etc.
  3. Agree with the others in what order the groups will leave the car park. There will be an exit Marshall on the day, to control/ensure a safe exit of each group.

On the Ride

  1. The point of the ride is to show the traffic impact if we do not have bus lane access and cannot filter, and have to ride like a car. This includes braking distance, and car-width spaces for any cyclists.
  2. Remember that you are riding on your licence under your insurance.
  3. We are riding to make political points, not to upset the public in general, or deliberately block traffic.
  4. Take as much space between bikes as a car, including 2 second braking distance. Use all the lanes allowed! 1 bike per lane is a Rider’s legal right, you are not a traffic blocker, you are traffic.
  5. If a car driver is desperate to get between groups either leaving the car park or on the Ride, then great, make space for them if it is safe to do so.
  6. Keep 5mph below the speed limit and stop at red lights, don’t run red lights to stay with a group.
  7. If you are at the front of a group and approaching an amber light, slow down and stop to make sure that all your group can get through together (if it is safe to do so).
  8. If you get separated from your group, either complete the run solo or follow the next group.
  9. On the return leg, on the A33 after the first traffic lights, there is usually a traffic jam due to road works. You may need to centre lane filter this, to prevent bikes over-heating. Then re-group on both lanes for the rest of the ride up the A33 to the Green Park roundabout, and back to the start point.

Supporters

If you have friends or family who can stand next to the parts of the route in the town centre to wave & cheer & take photos, that would be fantastic.  They could also help to explain to the Great British Public the reasons for the Ride, and hand out flyers.

Thank you for taking part.

Ride Safe,

Thames Valley MAG 

Short version of the Route & Ride Instructions

View or download as a PDF

1pm + Leave Superbikestore in small groups to maximise impact:

 

Follow road to the IDR @25mph

Down the IDR to TGI Friday roundabout @35mph

Along Vastern Road @25mph

Right and right again into road to train station @15-20mph

Left into Blagrave Street, left again into Valpy Street

 

Brief stop /park for photo’s in Valpy Street and turn right at the end into The Forbury for more photo’s.  Secure bike parking at both.

 

Thru’ the 1 way and right, down the side of Market Square @ 10-15mph

Left at Jacksons Corner onto Kings Road past the Library. @25mph

 

At the end, compulsory left back onto the IDR

Past the prison and follow the road back to Vastern Road. @ 25mph

 

Vastern Road back to TGI Fridays @25mph

Return up the IDR to the A33 turn-off  @35mph

Follow A33 towards Junction 11 (go past the Start)

@25mph until 30 limit ends at Rose Kiln Lane junction then @35mph

(May need to filter past roadworks to prevent bike overheating) then @35mph

 

Turnaround at the Green Park traffic lights roundabout

Return to start down the A33. @35mph, then @25mph in the 30 limit

 

Ride Instructions:

This is to be a Goody-Goody Two-Shoes legal, ride-like-a-car, protest ride, at 5mph below the posted limits.   Taking full advantage of all lanes as per our right to do so, and for once not filtering. 

 

We are not deliberately stopping or blocking cars, we are exercising our legal rights at a safe speed. If that creates a jam, or others get frustrated and irate,- tough!– should have let us into bus lanes and bought a motorbike or scooter. (the whole point of this ride!)

 

No outriders or stopping/blocking traffic.

No running red lights, stop at yellows to keep each group together.

No racing or wheelies or stunts, or acting like a twat.

No road rage or arguments with the Tin Cans, let them in if they must.

You are doing this on your own, street legal, bike and insurance, wearing a helmet.

If you get separated continue solo or join the group behind.

 

We are not trying to stop the buses in Valpy Street unduly, but they will have to wait while we park our bikes.  Front wheels into the road, no number plates showing in photo’s – it’s GDPR & personal privacy right?

 

The Police know our route and plan and have ok’d it to the Council.  We are not expecting any police support or checks, if they do, fine.

Thames Valley MAG Protest Ride

View or download as PDF

Saturday 5th July 2025 Departing 1.00pm

Rider Groups Briefing Note

Motorcycle Action Group are organising protests across the UK over the 5th and 6th July to try to highlight our concerns about the Government and Local Government attitudes, policies and anti-motorcycle bias.

In Reading, there will be a short distance there-and-back Protest Ride on 5th July departing from the Sportsbikeshop car park RG2 0SN at 1pm.  However, this is not just a Reading issue, and these same issues will soon apply to all areas of the UK, including the counties surrounding Reading.  (RBC stated they need those commuters to survive.)

Out of area, couriers, scooters/125’s and L plate riders are all encouraged to attend.

Plus bodies to hand out advance flyers, and on the day to shoppers.

Why and What are the issues?

This Protest will focus on only a few of the key issues, that genuinely affect the continued existence of motorcycling, with a focus on Reading and the political dogma enforcement by Labour Councillors.  It will not achieve any specific change itself, it is to highlight and raise the awareness of the public and motorcyclists of what is to come and our concerns.  This may be enough to change the local council elections balance of power next year, enabling a more measured and realistic approach.

  1. Local and Government policies and intentions, now and in 2030,
  2. The proposed 2030 ban on all new petrol motorbike sales in the UK, and potentially imports.
  3. Expensive & Unrealistic Motorbike parking charges, inadequate secure parking, and penalties for parking in car spaces.
  4. Petition Refusal and Govt U-turn on default bus lane access, both National and locally, and refusal to consider any future bus lane access proposals.

 

Local and Government policies and intentions, now and in 2030,

  • All the major political parties in the Houses of Parliament have agreed to the phase-out of Part L petrol powered motorcycles, there is therefore no opposition to this, it is just a matter of when. When facing a General Election the Conservatives moved it back to 2035, Labour moved it back again to 2030.
    1. “They’ll never get away with it” – Well who is going to stop them and how?
    2. There has been a steady hardening of position and evasiveness in saying how they plan to implement this, because it will be so unpopular.
  • November 2024 In response to the Bus Lane Access Petition & multiple meetings and submissions to DfT and Ministers, on the multiple  benefits of motorcycles over cars.  The DfT issued a telling brush-off statement:

“At this time we have no Policy to encourage increased motorcycling”

 

December 2024 Lord Hendy, “At present, the Government has no policy to encourage or discourage greater use of motorcycles. The Government supports the purchase of zero emission motorcycles with the plug-in motorcycle grant for those who want to switch to an electric motorcycle.”( The small £500 Grant, has ceased end March 2025.)

 

 In government speak, this means directly the opposite i.e. not even electric ones, and a decrease in motorcyclists. So unless we can force a statement otherwise,

They Do Have a Policy!  Viz:

  • Whilst car manufacturers/importers have been given encouragement and a taper to adopt electric vehicles, we have not.
  • Our analysis is that there is a bias against motorbikes nationally and also in Reading, and that, per previous official proposals,
    • there will be a dead stop on new motorbikes sales and imports in 2030,
    • Starting with learner legal & 125’s, thereby preventing new riders. For the moment, that remains as 2030 for mopeds and A1 motorcycles, and 2035 for bigger bikes.
  • Existing motorbikes will be allowed to continue, withering away against foreseeable rises in fuel duty and taxation intended to deter them, all justified as required to achieve UK Net Zero in 2035.
  • Why has there has been no real significant UK Government encouragement or support for moving to electric motorbikes or for overseas importers?
    • Very poor demand, almost non-existent, under 3500 bikes sold in 2024, under 2500 in 2023, all mainly sub-15KW.
    • To hide this, the DfT quotes the cumulative sales figure since 2016! At 10 years old some of those batteries and bikes will be un-recyclable scrap now.
    • Various major manufacturers have a well-developed and expanding range of electric motorbikes overseas but are not marketing them in the UK. Honda especially. But the bigger bikes from Zero, BMW etc cost over £20k, and have a very, very low resale value.  There are a number of other low-powered electric bikes, basically Chinese origin, suppliers in the UK market, who make up most of the sales.  (Harley Davidson have already withdrawn EV bike sales from the UK market, there are no significant others in the UK.) 
  • The government, and Reading Borough Council (RBC) – despite the pesky accident and mortality rates, prefer electric small scooters and overpowered battery bicycles, and are seeking to legitimise them. They are included in Readings’ Strategic Transport Plan, collectively titled Micro-mobility Vehicles despite them still being illegal. No recognition in that section, of real scooters, even sub 15Kw ones, being the only current legal micro-mobility.

Expensive & Unrealistic Motorbike parking charges

  • Government is encouraging all Councils to adopt similar measures to Reading, including revenue growth opportunities in emissions based parking and motorbike parking charges.

Following the Wednesday 6th July Transport Management Committee meeting, we can now confirm:

 

  1. RBC is heavily committed to its Climate Emergency, Air Quality Improvement and 2030 Net Zero targets. All Councillors agree on that much, so no problem with that, except their proposed solutions and dictatorial implementations.  Motorbikes including scooters are seen negatively as bad for Air Quality (false) , noisy, dirty, too fast and dangerous.  RBC Transport officers seem to have an anti-bike bias too, or are reflecting their Labour-majority Councillors views.

 

  1. Even the Green Party asked for the Emissions Based Parking Consultation implementation to be modified!
  2. The Conservatives were also concerned, and with Green Party agreeing, asked if it could be altered afterwards or was a pre-determined outcome.

They were both told no, only minor charges could be altered, otherwise they would have to re-issue the Consultation.   A Pre-Determined Outcome is not legitimate.

i.e irrespective of any Consultation responses they will not change their plan.

 

Bus Lane Access

  • RBC have authorised, without formal consultation, a new digital Resident Parking Permit charge for motorbikes. If a household also has a car, it will always be charged at the higher £180 rate.

So if the household gets rid of the low carbon, low emissions motorbike or scooter, they will save £132 on the car! (Off-road parking is exempt, for now.  Don’t leave it out or the camera car/Scooter riding wardens will fine you)

In the Victorian streets of Reading, of necessity, there are scooters and motorbikes parking on street, who are most likely to be low income households. The RBC authorising paper states it has no idea how many there are.

  1. All of the Resident Parking Charges will increase again when the Emissions Based Parking charges start to apply. How much will depend upon the vehicle.
  2. “Net Zero does not permit Free Parking” Quote by the Lead Councillor for Transport.

This confirms that on-street motorcycle parking charges are coming, but have not been disclosed yet. When challenged there has been no denial of this. 

  • Westminster charges £1/hr, Hackney and Tower Hamlets are also expensive. How much for Reading, and will it be slyly introduced, like the Motorbike Resident Parking Permit charge?
  • A big daily bill for all day parking will result for shop workers, train drivers & commuters etc, who are often low-waged and for whom public buses simply do not meet their needs.
  • What parking there is limited. St Mary’s Butts or Oxford Road it is not secure, where there has been bike theft. Penalty charges will apply for parking motorbikes in car spaces.  Couriers are using the load/unload bays at the end of Friar Street and risking parking tickets.  Why not allow that, with an out of hours period for real loading and unloading?

g    All parking charges will be digital payment via Ringo, so if you have no phone or no cash card?- No parking!

 

  • MAG & Reading Hackney Carriage Association made an application for access to the A33 Bus lane between J11 and Town.  It was refused “because the Mass Transit scheme is not in operation yet”, and “that lane is reserved for future Trams”

(Autonomous buses are imagined in the Strategic Transport Scheme – They don’t exist yet) 

  • In the interim they could have reaped the benefit of improved air quality, traffic reduction and reduction in road wear, for years. Don’t let Common-sense stand in the way of Political dogma and Pride?

Further still!  Tired of the pressure to come up with silly justifications;-

RBC Labour ruled that no further access applications for any bus lanes would be accepted. “RBC will conduct a review of all bus lanes access Borough wide.” 

Even the Green Party laughed at that, and asked when that would ever happen!  (No reply given)  So it’s been effectively banned, per the DfT  “No Policy  to encourage” statement above.

 

To change any of this will require raising motorcycling and the public’s awareness, mass responses and submitted complaints to both the Council and local Councillors, even non-Reading ones help.   This Protest Ride can only raise awareness if you take part, and send emails and complaints.

Protest Ride Plan   – Route summary attached.

This will be batches of riders, 6-8, departing at short intervals and riding at 5mph less than the posted limit and at car spacing’s, with 2 second braking distances to demonstrate the impact on traffic if we are not allowed in bus lanes.

As far as possible, it will follow the route past bus lanes that we do not have access to, e.g. A33, Vastern Road, Train Station, and there will be a photo-stop at Valpy Street, to demonstrate the number and benefit of motorbike parking over cars, and a stationary demonstration photo of the comparative number of bikes on a carriageway compared to cars, when at normal motorbike spacing.

Then circles again past Valpy Street (as is 1-way), then round the rest of Blagrave Street behind M&S, where there should be public/shoppers, right at the lights down Station Rode to the train station and back the way we came, to the Sportsbikeshop for more photo’s and maybe a short debrief next steps.

 

Yorkshire MAG will be leaving Squires Café, LS25 5LX at 10:30 on 5th of July.

The run will terminate at the Olivers Mount race paddock where toilets and refreshments will be available. In addition, there will be a 25% discount on all Olivers Mount race event tickets bought on the day.

Join the Facebook event for more information and updates.

Routes directions:

1) Right out of Squires Car Park onto the B1222 heading towards Sherburn in Elmet.

2) At the traffic lights in Sherburn, turn left onto Finkle Hill (signposted Tadcaster)

3) At the roundabout, take 2nd turn (straight across) onto the A162 heading towards Tadcaster

4) Pass through Barkston Ash and Towton villages (still on A162)

5) Pass over the A64 and take a left onto the slip road to join the A64 heading towards York and the East Coast

6) At Hopgrove roundabout (NE of York), take the 2nd exit to stay on the A64

7) Continue on the A64 for the next 30 miles

8) At the Staxton roundabout, take first left to stay on the A64

9) On entering the outskirts of Scarborough, take a right at the traffic lights next to B&M onto Queen Margarets Road / B427

10) Turn right onto Mere Lane after half a mile. Mere Lane turns left and becomes Weaponness Lane

11) Oliver’s Mount Race Circuit paddock is on the LHS