Tony Campbell, CEO of MCIA, yesterday took centre stage at the UK’s most prominent road safety conference the National Road Safety Conference, calling for a major shake-up of how to address current motorcycle safety issues. Sharing a platform with key policy makers and industry experts, the Conference saw delegates from across Government, Whitehall, Parliament, and the wider industry.
You can find out more about the National Road Safety Conference here.
Campbell opened by highlighting the significance of MCIA's joint ‘Action Plan’ it produced with the Government, entitled "Realising the Full Potential of Zero Emission Powered Light Vehicles." Emphasising the need for collaboration between the industry and the Government, the Action Plan outlines a roadmap to leverage mopeds, motorcycles, and the entire L-Category sector to reduce emissions, alleviate congestion, and provide affordable personal mobility.
Underscoring the importance of addressing motorcycle road safety, Campbell noted that powered two-wheelers (PTWs) constitute 1% of traffic, but account for 20% of fatalities, a statistic that should not be accepted as the norm. He expressed deep concern about the current state of motorcycle safety and outlined initiatives undertaken by MCIA, including the Elite Rider Programme launched in 2022, which has seen an estimated 14% of full licence holders complete Advanced Rider Training to date.
He went on to call on the Government to match industry efforts and demonstrate a commitment to promoting L-Category vehicles as a greener alternative. Campbell proposed a full-scale review of the existing licensing regime for L-Category vehicles, aligning with MCIA's ‘A Licence to Net Zero’ campaign that presents comprehensive proposals to simplify, make fairer, and enhance the safety and accessibility of obtaining a moped, motorcycle, or other L-Category vehicle licence.
In urging the Government to act, Campbell quoted Einstein, stating, "the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again, but expecting different results.”
Commenting on his keynote speech, Tony Campbell said:
“Instead of basing policy decisions solely on past safety concerns, the Government needs to adopt a forward-thinking approach in a way that anticipates the future traffic mix. Rather than being a reason to disregard our vehicles, their safety track record should serve as motivation to liberate and optimise their viability as a sustainable mode of mobility for the future. It is only through industry and the Government working together that we can ensure a safer and more prosperous future for British motorcycling.”