The Government has announced it will not implement a policy to make universal access for motorcycles to UK bus lanes the default. Decisions on bus lane access for motorcycles will remain with local authorities.

A Department for Transport (DfT) consultation, conducted from March to July this year, sought views from the public and local authorities on granting motorcyclists default access to all bus lanes. Over 14,000 responses were received, with over 95% agreeing with the statement: “If it is safe to do so, motorcycles should be allowed to access bus lanes by default.” Only 178 people disagreed. While responses from local authorities were limited, over half of those who did respond acknowledged the benefits of allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes. The low response rate from local authorities likely indicates no significant objections from non-responding councils.

Despite evidence submitted by the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) and other stakeholders showing that allowing bus lane access either improves or has no negative impact on safety, the Government concluded that the safety benefits are unclear. The DfT argued that more research on potential safety impacts for cyclists and the effects on bus services would be required to justify a policy change, despite existing studies showing no adverse impacts on bus services or cyclist safety.

Most concerning is the DfT’s statement: “At present, the government has no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles.” Rejecting a measure with potential safety benefits for vulnerable road users, solely because it may encourage motorcycling, perpetuates high casualty rates and hinders investment in policies to improve motorcycle safety and access. This decision affects nearly 1.5 million riders across the UK.

Craig Carey-Clinch, NMC Executive Director, commented:

“It is extremely concerning that the Government has ruled out a measure that could significantly improve motorcycle safety. Ministers claim a commitment to a new Road Safety Strategy, but this decision raises doubts about whether the strategy will include the innovative and supportive measures needed. Continuing the current approach to motorcycle safety will not reverse the stagnation in casualty reduction rates seen since 2013. The NMC urges Ministers to reconsider and fully engage with the motorcycle sector as they develop the Road Safety Strategy.”

The Driving Instructors Association (DIA) added:

“We’re concerned to see the Government state that they do not wish to encourage greater use of motorcycles, nor improve safety for existing users. Yet at the same time, this same Government wants to facilitate the expansion of e-scooters, a potentially riskier category of rider, given the non-existent training and licensing regime for users and the lack of any clear plans to address this. Such an inconsistent approach undermines efforts to enhance road safety for all users.”