Motorcycle Northants commuter challenge | NEWS

Next week is National Ride to Work Week in the UK. If you already ride to work you’ll know there’s no way to beat it for enjoyment, time saving, stress-busting and of course saving cash. As our towns and cities become ever more congested the powers that be are also starting to slowly change their mindset with regards to two-wheeled use. In fact some of them are blooming well encouraging it…

Northamptonshire County Council are pro-bike and have taken things one step further by providing free bike parking bays outside their new offices in the town centre and by trying to encourage the use of two wheels in the county.

In response to the newly launched initiative – Motorcycle Northants, the Ride to Work team have produced the following commuter challenge video.

It’s no great surprise to us that the bike rider won the commuter challenge and enjoyed the journey to work but it’s good to see that local councils are starting to realise they can save a fortune by reducing the volume of traffic and congestion by simply encouraging the wider spread use of two wheels as a means of daily transport.

John Spencer, Team Leader of Road Safety and Travel Choices, Northamptonshire Highways says “As part of our modal shift strategy Northamptonshire County Council intends to embrace motorcycles and scooters as a sustainable transport mode within the future countywide transport programme. Greater use of motorcycles can bring environmental, congestion and accessibility benefits, particularly on journeys made for commuting to places of employment or education.”

John also added “In 2015 we carried out a motorcycle survey to reaffirm why people were using motorbikes, but also why they were not! We collaborate with various partners like the Motorcycle Industry Association, Get On team and the Ride to Work team, to encourage people to take up motorcycling as a safe, sustainable and better way of getting around.”

Motorcycle Northants

• Motorcycle Northants was launched by Northamptonshire County Council to try and increase the number of commuters on two wheels. Currently just 0.4% of commuters in the county ride to work.
• They’re the first council in the UK to actively encourage two wheeled use. They realise that commuting by bike or scooter can dramatically improve journey times, thanks partly to the ability to filter through traffic, more two wheeled use means less traffic build up for everybody.
• A European study backs up the theory, they found that if just 10% of car driving commuters switched to a motorcycle congestion for all road users is reduced by a massive 40%.  
• An estimated 43% of commuter journeys in a car or van are made with just one person on board, adding to pollution, congestion, parking problems and stress for commuters.
• A second phase of Motorcycle Northants will look to increase the infrastructure on roads and will also work with employers to encourage them to provide safe motorcycle parking and changing facilities for riders. 
• Around two thirds of motorcyclists don’t have commuter cover on their existing policies due to the higher cost in many cases. Existing customers of ERS, Carole Nash and Ageas are being offered a free upgrade to cover them for commuting during Ride to Work Week.

What else could be done to encourage scooter/bike use?

• A more European approach to two wheels would be a great starting point, allowing bike parking on wider pavements in towns and cities would be a good start. As long as riders are sensible or stick to designated areas they cause no problem. Every town and city in Europe has rows of bikes parked up wherever you go.  
• Reduce the age for a moped licence to 14, as in the rest of Europe and teach road safety in schools.
• More wide spread use of bus lanes for bikes, car drivers would love to be able to drive in those – let them see us doing it. Not only does it improve the safety for riders but also eases congestion.
• Extol the virtues of two wheels rather than concentrate on the negatives, or ‘danger’ aspect. As long as the rider has common sense and is trained well commuting by bike/scooter is as safe as anything else on the roads. How many times do you hear somebody say “I’d kill myself on that.” It’s drummed into us from an early age, reverse that ingrained psychology.
• Fact, bike riders make better/safer car drivers. They know how to read the road, look out for danger and react accordingly. How about offering free/heavily subsidised CBT training to encourage people on to two wheels?

Are you riding to work?

If you’re a regular two-wheeled commuter, or are taking part in any Ride to Work Week events let us know about them. Send us photos of your pro-bike workplace parking, take a non-riding pillion to work one day, think of ways to use your scooter or bike for more than just pleasure and let us know about it. 

Next week is National Ride to Work Week in the UK. If you already ride to work you’ll know there’s no way to beat it for enjoyment, time saving, stress-busting and of course saving cash. As our towns and cities become ever more congested the powers that be are also starting to slowly change their mindset with regards to two-wheeled use. In fact some of them are blooming well encouraging it…

 

Northamptonshire County Council are pro-bike and have taken things one step further by providing free bike parking bays outside their new offices in the town centre and by trying to encourage the use of two wheels in the county.

 

In response to the newly launched initiative – Motorcycle Northants, the Ride to Work team have produced the following commuter challenge video.

It’s no great surprise to us that the bike rider won the commuter challenge and enjoyed the journey to work but it’s good to see that local councils are starting to realise they can save a fortune by reducing the volume of traffic and congestion by simply encouraging the wider spread use of two wheels as a means of daily transport.

 

John Spencer, Team Leader of Road Safety and Travel Choices, Northamptonshire Highways says “As part of our modal shift strategy Northamptonshire County Council intends to embrace motorcycles and scooters as a sustainable transport mode within the future countywide transport programme. Greater use of motorcycles can bring environmental, congestion and accessibility benefits, particularly on journeys made for commuting to places of employment or education.”

 

John also added “In 2015 we carried out a motorcycle survey to reaffirm why people were using motorbikes, but also why they were not! We collaborate with various partners like the Motorcycle Industry Association, Get On team and the Ride to Work team, to encourage people to take up motorcycling as a safe, sustainable and better way of getting around.”

 

 

Motorcycle Northants

 

• Motorcycle Northants was launched by Northamptonshire County Council to try and increase the number of commuters on two wheels. Currently just 0.4% of commuters in the county ride to work.
• They’re the first council in the UK to actively encourage two wheeled use. They realise that commuting by bike or scooter can dramatically improve journey times, thanks partly to the ability to filter through traffic, more two wheeled use means less traffic build up for everybody.
• A European study backs up the theory, they found that if just 10% of car driving commuters switched to a motorcycle congestion for all road users is reduced by a massive 40%.  
• An estimated 43% of commuter journeys in a car or van are made with just one person on board, adding to pollution, congestion, parking problems and stress for commuters.
• A second phase of Motorcycle Northants will look to increase the infrastructure on roads and will also work with employers to encourage them to provide safe motorcycle parking and changing facilities for riders. 
• Around two thirds of motorcyclists don’t have commuter cover on their existing policies due to the higher cost in many cases. Existing customers of ERS, Carole Nash and Ageas are being offered a free upgrade to cover them for commuting during Ride to Work Week.
  
  
  
  
  
  

What else could be done to encourage scooter/bike use?

 

• A more European approach to two wheels would be a great starting point, allowing bike parking on wider pavements in towns and cities would be a good start. As long as riders are sensible or stick to designated areas they cause no problem. Every town and city in Europe has rows of bikes parked up wherever you go.  
• Reduce the age for a moped licence to 14, as in the rest of Europe and teach road safety in schools.
• More wide spread use of bus lanes for bikes, car drivers would love to be able to drive in those – let them see us doing it. Not only does it improve the safety for riders but also eases congestion.
• Extol the virtues of two wheels rather than concentrate on the negatives, or ‘danger’ aspect. As long as the rider has common sense and is trained well commuting by bike/scooter is as safe as anything else on the roads. How many times do you hear somebody say “I’d kill myself on that.” It’s drummed into us from an early age, reverse that ingrained psychology.
• Fact, bike riders make better/safer car drivers. They know how to read the road, look out for danger and react accordingly. How about offering free/heavily subsidised CBT training to encourage people on to two wheels?

 

Are you riding to work?

 

If you’re a regular two-wheeled commuter, or are taking part in any Ride to Work Week events let us know about them. Send us photos of your pro-bike workplace parking, take a non-riding pillion to work one day, think of ways to use your scooter or bike for more than just pleasure and let us know about it.