Wakefield MAG January 2021 Newsletter

Happy New Year from Wakefield MAG

Dear Wakefield MAG Member,

Welcome to the first Wakefield MAG e-newsletter of 2021. I hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas and has a fantastic and biking filled New Year. As meetings are currently suspended until further notice due to Covid-19 restrictions (AGAIN), this Newsletter is THE ONLY WAY to keep up to date with what we are up to, in these quite surreal times.

CONTENTS

1) New Years Resolutions
2) Yorkshire Newsletter
3) MAG's Political Unit review of 2020: progress in a challenging year
4) Cambridgeshire encourage people to buy and to use motorcycles
5) Post Christmas Auction
6) Wakefield MAG Annual General Meeting
7) MAG wins TfL agreement to review threats to rider safety
8) Continued Suspension of Weekly Meetings
9) MAG offers to help Camden grasp the benefits of motorcycles
10) John McGuinness MBE
11) Forthcoming Events (for January and beyond)

1) New Years Resolutions

Hands up how many people have made a New Years Resolution or two? Give up the fags .. drink less .. exercise more .. lose weight .. get out on the bike more, whatever the weather? How many can honestly say that they will be able to keep it up for the whole year .... probably not many.

Want a New Years Resolution that is easy to keep, will make you feel better about yourself, and your contribution to others, will save you money & make the world a better place? Sounds too good to be true? Almost, but not quite ....

One of the best NY resolutions you can possibly make is to join a non-member to MAG this year (or join yourself if you are not a member, rejoin if you have recently lapsed, or ensure you maintain your own membership throughout the year if you are already a member !!!).

This resolution is dead easy to keep (just £27 will guarantee that), you will be positively contributing to the on-going maintenance of your chosen lifestyle, both for you and everyone who rides a bike, you are joining a union of 10,000 like minded souls, and best of all, you will be able to save money by taking advantage of the many benefits and deals only available to MAG members.

You can join MAG at:

Join (or renew) by Direct Debit, then you'll never again have to remember to renew as it will be done automatically for you:

Membership fees are: Single Membership - £27.00; Joint Membership (two adults) - £40.50; Family Membership - either single or joint adult membership with children added to the membership at £5.00 per child. New members between the ages of 16 and 25 years old receive a £5 discount on first year of MAG membership.

Make this one New Years Resolution you will honestly say you have been able to keep ... Don't put it off ... Join (or rejoin) MAG now !!!

2) Yorkshire Newsletter

In case you have missed this on the Yorkshire MAG Facebook Page, here is the latest Yorkshire Region newsletter:

I hope you've all managed to have a great Christmas.

This time of year is usually a quiet time for MAG with the lack of rallies and cold weather (looking out of the window it's white over with snow) but this year it seems even quieter than usual and I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to the lifting of restrictions and a return to normality.

All local councils are still not allowing face to face meetings, which means that we're restricted to email or zoom (of which I refuse to participate in) as they continue to promote cycling by putting yet more cycle lanes in at the expense of all other road users. Leeds City Council, which have always had an anti motorcycle stance, have actually admitted this with the publication of an intended consultation to have it's own transport policy.

The information given out includes some graphics of actual transport mode usage and projected transport mode usage in five years time. This states that Leeds City Council want to see a REDUCTION in motorcycle usage within the city! It also begs the question of why Leeds City Council needs its own transport policy when only two years ago the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (of which LCC is one of five councils who are members) published its own 20 year transport policy for the whole of the county.

All of the five councils have all chosen to be very selective in implementing the 20 year transport strategy and this has prompted an email campaign to all Leeds and Bradford MP's to try to push the councils to implement the WYCA transport policy rather than picking and choosing the bits that suit their own agendas and also question the point of actually having a combined authority if Councils are going to follow their own agendas anyway. It currently seems to be a very expensive extra layer of bureaucracy which is really not needed.

I've included, below, the basic text of the email campaign that went out to all Leeds and Bradford MAG members (some of who have forwarded them to their MP's) in case any other members wish to email their own MP's. This is an area that has to be done by individual members as MP's won't respond without the constituents contact details, so we become reliant on you, the members, for any success with MP's. There are two separate texts as Bradford aren't currently wanting to produce their own transport policy. Please feel free to plagiarise the emails below and contact your own MP on behalf of MAG.

Bradford MP email

Your name and address

Dear........insert your local MP's name

As a concerned resident of Bradford and a member of the Motorcycle Action Group, I'm writing to you to both ask for your opinion and to ask questions of Bradford City Council with regard to their transport policy.

During the past two years representatives of the Motorcycle Action Group have been in discussions with all the local West Yorkshire councils including Bradford, to try to get them to implement the recommendations of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority 20 year transport strategy. The main recommendation from our point of view, is that after six years of campaigning, the WYCA recommended that all local councils allow motorcycles to use 'with flow' bus lanes where practical.

We, naively thought that as part of the WYCA, all five councils would implement the recommendations but it seems that each council is free to pick and choose the parts it sees fit to use.

This raises the question that if the WYCA has spent millions of pounds of public money to produce a twenty year transport plan that the five member councils don't have to follow, what is the point of this seemingly extra level of bureaucracy? Also, though Bradford City Council have been better than others in implementing positive motorcycle related schemes, the proliferation of both cycle lanes and new bus lanes within Bradford upon the lifting of lockdown restrictions has made it even more imperative that motorcycles are allowed to use bus lanes, as currently motorcyclists are being compressed by the narrowing of normal carriageways to facilitate these extra lanes.

The millions spent by local councils in the last six months has been aimed squarely at cycling and walking when all three modes of propulsion are classed as vulnerable road users by the national government, the marginalisation of one form is clearly discriminatory. I would appreciate if you could ask the council officers at Bradford City Council, on my behalf, why they haven't implemented the WYCA recommendations from their 20 year transport strategy to allow motorcycles to use 'with flow' bus lanes.

Yours faithfully

Your name here

Leeds MP Email

Your name and address

Dear........insert your local MP's name

As a concerned resident of Leeds and a member of the Motorcycle Action Group, I'm writing to you to both ask for your opinion and query the decisions of Leeds City Council to go to the enormous expense of producing their own transport strategy consultation, when the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, of which Leeds City Council is a member, published its own 20 year transport strategy just two years ago.

During the past two years representatives of the Motorcycle Action Group have been in discussions with all the local West Yorkshire councils including Leeds, to try to get them to implement the recommendations of the WYCA 20 year transport strategy.

The main recommendation from our point of view, is that after six years of campaigning, the WYCA recommended that all local councils allow motorcycles to use 'with flow' bus lanes where practical.

We, naively thought that as part of the WYCA, all five councils would implement the recommendations but it seems that each council is free to pick and choose the parts it sees fit to use.

This raises the question that if the WYCA has spent millions of pounds of public money to produce a twenty year transport plan that the five member councils don't have to follow, what is the point of this seemingly extra level of bureaucracy? It also raises the question that if the WYCA is a legitimately necessary organisation, should Leeds City Council be spending millions of pounds of taxpayers money on its own, separate transport strategy?

Finally, we were dismayed by the Councils lack of acknowledgement, after the lifting of lockdown restrictions, that motorcycling can be a massive benefit to the local transport strategy by encouraging social distancing, producing less pollution, taking up less road and parking space and isn't discriminatory towards those less able bodied members of society, who would be unable to cycle in our hilly city. The millions spent by local councils in the last six months has been aimed squarely at cycling and walking whilst compressing road space for motorcycles when all three are classed as vulnerable road users by the national government, which is clearly discriminatory.

The latest 'Connecting Leeds' document seems to be advocating and encouraging the reduction in motorcycle and scooter users within the city. Details here: https://news.leeds.gov.uk/news/new-connecting-leeds-transport-strategy-for-everyone-to-enjoy-healthy-affordable-low-carbon-travel-choices

Discussions with Leeds City Council seem to consistently lead to wild goose chases, false promises and stalling tactics that at best look like incompetence and at worst, outright discrimination against motorcyclists.

I'd appreciate you raising these questions on my behalf and I'd also be interested to hear your thoughts on the matters raised in this email.

Yours faithfully

Insert your name here

Over in Kirklees and Calderdale, Huddersfield political rep, Tom Lonsdale, has been beavering away making contacts within both councils to forward the MAG message. Calderdale have historically been open to our advances but Kirklees has been more akin to Leeds in it's reluctance to help motorcyclists.

Tom is currently spearheading a local campaign to look into the lit keep left bollards that proliferate around Huddersfield and Halifax, that are often unlit and have potential to cause serious injuries if struck by a motorcycle.

I have been contacted by a member from York who is interested in restarting York MAG along with a few friends. This is fantastic news as we've had no group in North Yorkshire since the passing of Stuart, the Scarborough rep, several years ago. Obviously we can't ratify the new group with an AGM as all AGMs are suspended until restrictions are lifted, but we have set up a new Facebook group to start the ball rolling and we'll advertise the AGM as soon as it's possible. Follow and connect with York MAG on Facebook for the time being.

Nationally things are still quiet with no face to face meetings or events. MAG finances are obviously becoming stretched after a year without any fundraisers so Yorkshire MAG dipped into our bank account and sent central office a donation of £3,000.

One thing MAG has been doing both nationally and locally is pointing out to those the decision makers that motorcycles are a fantastic way of social distancing and should be encouraged and promoted as a valid form of transport in these difficult times.

The MAG NC had a virtual meeting where national issues and campaigns were discussed. Oxford announced a 'red zone' no emission zone which will now be extended. MAG has, after an initial plea from South Yorkshire MAG, got into dialogue with Highways England regarding 'smart motorways'. They have confirmed that they will halt the rollout of 'dynamic lanes' which means no more use of hard shoulders going forward but current 'dynamic lanes' will stay in use - for now.

The ChIPT (Choice In Personal Transport) campaign, as voted on by members at last years AGC, has been moving forward with various mentions in national media outlets and Howard Cox debating with a senior Green Party member. It must be pointed out that motorcycles were not included in the move to ban the sale petrol vehicles from 2030.

Here is the link to the current 'Network' which will keep you informed with MAG happenings around the country: Network

None of the usual Christmas parties went ahead but Leeds and Bradford MAG managed to have a Christmas toy collection which we duly delivered to Leeds Children's Charity at Lineham Farm. This was gratefully received by them as the local kids have been hit very hard by the pandemic.

If you have any ideas for events and fundraisers or if you like to see your local group do something different, get in touch with either me or your local rep. MAG is member led and without your input and participation it will stagnate.

Due to the current situation events are sparse in this newsletter. Hopefully normal service will resume very soon. If you want to get more involved at a local level (and to really get the most out of your MAG membership, I strongly recommend that you do) here are the meeting details of the five Yorkshire MAG groups - though we are looking to expand with more groups so if you haven't got one close by and fancy getting together with like minded bikers, get in touch with me at manny@mag-uk.org

We're very lucky in having some very strong groups in Yorkshire, but we need the members to join in, so pop along to your local meeting and help to make a difference. Unfortunately all local meetings have been suspended again due to restrictions but informal meet ups are being held where possible. If you fancy a pint and a natter (local restrictions may apply) keep an eye on your emails or Facebook.

Finally both myself (Manny) and Andy Foody have made the decision to step down as Yorkshire MAG Rep and Yorkshire MAG vice Rep at the next AGM (though currently all AGM's nationally have been suspended). We've had a great three years of doing the job but now seems a good time to step down with the changing political landscape bringing lots of fresh challenges. It's vitally important that Yorkshire MAG has a presence on the National Committee as we are the biggest donators of funds due to the three Yorkshire rallies. If you've ever had an urge to get involved, now is your chance.

I'd like to wish all Yorkshire MAG members a very happy new year and hope that 2021 will bring back some normality after a horrible 2020.

Keep safe

Manny (Yorkshire MAG rep)

3) MAG's Political Unit review of 2020: progress in a challenging year

Read Lembit and Colin's review of the year: www.mag-uk.org/mags-review-of-2020-progress-in-a-challenging-year

4) Cambridgeshire encourage people to buy and to use motorcycles

Cambridgeshire has launched a trial of motorcycle access to bus lanes. The County Council want to encourage people to buy and use motorcycles. The Council opened the Elizabeth Way bus lane to motorcyclists and full electric cars on 14th December 2020. Local MAG activists campaigned for motorcycle access for many years. Importantly, local MP, Daniel Zeichner, supports calls for motorcycle access. Finally, the lobbying has been rewarded with the start of this new trial.

The trial is being implemented on an experimental basis and will be reviewed after six months. The Council will consider whether access should be made permanent after the trial period. Under the trial, access for full electric cars will also be tested.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: "We're keen to improve air quality and encourage people to travel more sustainably. With this in mind, we have started a trial which allows Zero Emission Vehicles and motorcycles to use the bus lane on Elizabeth Way. Should the trial be successful, then Councillors will consider whether the initiative should be continued and widened to other bus lanes across Cambridgeshire."

Speaking on behalf of MAG, Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said: "Local MAG members are delighted. They have put a great deal of work into promoting the idea to the Council. We also thank local MP, Daniel Zeichner, who has been a great help. I especially welcome the unequivocal statement from the Council: - They want to encourage people to buy and use motorcycles."

The Council state in the documented 'Statement of Reasons': 'Motor cycles are more fuel-efficient and use less road space than cars, so the Council wishes to encourage greater use of them. Allowing motor cycles to use bus lanes is an additional incentive for people to purchase and use powered two wheelers in preference to private cars. Motor cycle use of bus lanes could have some safety benefits, as it would reduce the likelihood of motor cyclists weaving between lanes of slow moving traffic to avoid queues.'

5) Post Christmas Auction

Our Post Christmas Auction's are the stuff of legends. The idea is you donate all your unwanted Christmas presents, together with other stuff you no longer want, or have the room for, to the Branch and we auction them off to the highest bidder .... with the proceeds split 2/3 to MAG and 1/3 to charitable causes. Thanks to the huge generosity of JP Roberts (ex-Doncaster MAG Rep), we have a huge amount of items that have already been donated, which includes masses of riding gear, books, DVD's, camping equipment, tools, bike accessories, service items, garage equipment (incl. a Wolf Electric Air Compressor with spray gun, electric parts washing chest, paddock stands).

As it may be a while before we can host the auction face to face due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are hosting a virtual auction during January 2021.

We have put all these items on our 'For Sale' page. We are accepting bids against the advertised list of items, with a closing date of 1st February, after which, the highest bid will have won the item (subject to any reserve price being met). Any items that don't have any bids (or didn't meet the reserve price), will simply be carried forward to the 'physical' auction, whenever we are permitted to host it (watch this space for details).

Check out the For Sale page and if you want any of the items, email your bid to us throughout January, and we'll be in touch with you in early February if your's was the highest bid. Good luck with your bidding !!!

Branch email address for your bids: wakefield-rep@mag-uk.org

Proceeds from the virtual auction will again be split (2/3 to the MAG Fighting Fund, 1/3 to a charitable cause(s).

6) Wakefield MAG Annual General Meeting

Around this time of year we are usually looking forward to our Annual General Meeting, which was due to have been held on the 12th January 2021. However, in common with MAG Nationally, and the Yorkshire MAG Region, our 19th Annual General Meeting is being postponed until restrictions are lifted and we are able to physically hold the meeting. All current Branch Officers will hence remain in post until such time as we can host the AGM and hold elections for our 2021 Branch Committee.

7) MAG wins TfL agreement to review threats to rider safety

London transport bosses have agreed to review threats to rider safety. Transport for London (TfL) will carry out a series of site visits at critical points across London that - The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) says - are threatening riders' safety.

Motorcyclist fatalities in London have risen by more than 40% over the past two years, from 22 in 2018 to 31 in 2019. Provisional figures for 2020 show no decline despite vastly reduced traffic levels during the pandemic. MAG claims that poor road design is partly to blame.

Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport, agreed a series of site meetings with MAG. TfL will meet riders at locations which, MAG says, are typical of many potential accident blackspots around the capital. Sites include Hyde Park Corner, Farringdon Road, and Old Street. MAG is finalising a schedule and the visits will go ahead as soon as possible.

Lembit Öpik, MAG's Director of Communications, said: "This is a significant step forward. Until now, riders in London have felt disenfranchised. Their views are as valid as any other road user's. We can discuss statistics whilst sat in meeting rooms for as long as we like, but it's the lived experience of the user that was being forgotten. We believe riders' interests have been neglected, and the high number of deaths is the outcome of that neglect; something we can now address. Compared to the millions poured into cycle safety, it is hard to find any evidence of equivalent investment in the safety of motorcyclists."

Greater London Authority Assembly Member and Conservative Transport Spokesman, Keith Prince, chaired the meeting. He observed: "This meeting led to actual agreements so that motorcyclists are treated with parity of esteem by the London authorities. I'm pleased we made this concrete agreement for sensible engagement that's data driven and time efficient. So, at last, riders are included in London transport discussions on an equitable basis."

Additionally, MAG is urging TfL to implement the recommendations in its own Urban Motorcycle Design Handbook, published in 2017. MAG says that TfL's 'excellent' handbook offers potentially life-saving road design changes - but asks where these have been implemented. It is also asking TfL to persuade London's 33 boroughs to follow the design guide - and to harmonise the 'confusing' pattern of bus lane usage by motorcyclists.

Colin Brown, MAG's Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, said: "We plan to set a precedent for real progress in London and this will become a template for action across the country. All local authorities can - and should -appoint dedicated motorcycling officers. These officers, just like cycling officers, should be charged with making motorcycling safer and more accessible. They should be accountable to motorcyclists."

During the meeting, MAG called on TfL to carry out detailed assessment of recent road schemes on motorcycle safety, as riders can face higher risks from such schemes as 'pop-up' cycle lanes and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. MAG is also asking TfL to use its influence to improve conditions for gig economy riders.

Colin Brown concluded: "We view this meeting as a further step in an ongoing process of dialogue. It is certainly not the end of our efforts. We hope to make further progress on these other important points we are calling for in the coming months. Success in London will naturally lead to progress for all bikers throughout the country."

8) Continued Suspension of Weekly Meetings

With the recent announcement that West Yorkshire remains in Tier 3 lockdown, our HQ the Thatched House has to remain closed, which means our weekly meetings have to stay postponed until further notice. Watch this space for when the meetings will restart again.

N.B. For those of you who have pre-paid for the weekly meeting raffle, the raffle is being suspended and your entries will simply be c/f until the next 'physical' meeting.

In the meantime, keep up to date with this newsletter, published monthly, and our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/groups/wakefieldmag) where regular updates will be made.

Hope to see you all again at a meeting soon !!

9) MAG offers to help Camden grasp the benefits of motorcycles

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has offered to help Camden Borough Council grasp the benefits of motorcycles. The Borough Council is missing a key aid to achieving its goals.

MAG wrote to the leader of Camden Borough Council this week with a proposal. The offer is to share knowledge and evidence about the positive impact that motorcycling can deliver.

MAG's Greater London members have raised concerns about changes to parking permits and charges. The Council want to be a zero-carbon borough by 2030 and plan to reduce pollution and improve local air quality by reducing the number of high carbon emission and diesel vehicles in the borough. They also encourage residents to use more sustainable ways of travel.

The parking proposals will treat motorcycles the same as cars, but MAG claims that the actual impacts of cars and motorcycles are very different. Thus the Council's blanket approach to parking is counter-productive.

MAG's Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, says: "I can see that misunderstandings about motorcycles are influencing the policy makers in Camden. This is not surprising, as these distortions are rarely challenged. The realities, however, are a world apart from outdated views of the motorcycle. There is a clear need to focus on shaping a better future, so we need to throw off these old ideas. We must recognise what motorcycling offers today and in the future. At MAG we are working hard to promote a re-evaluation of motorcycling in transport policy. The future of transport is multi-modal, and motorcycles are a key part of that multi-modal future. We all share the goals of reduced congestion, cleaner air and reduced CO2 emissions, but if we cannot get past prejudices and misconceptions, the goals will be much harder to achieve."

10) John McGuinness MBE

News courtesy of MCN: www.motorcyclenews.com

John McGuinness has been awarded an MBE for his services to motorcycle racing after being included in the 2021 New Year Honours List.

McGuinness is the greatest living Isle of Man TT racer with 23 wins to his credit in a career that has spanned three decades. His first TT win came in the Lightweight class in 1999, in 2007 he became the first man to lap the TT course at over 130mph and he continued his winning ways and domination with his most recent Senior TT win in 2015.

Speaking to MCN, the 48-year-old said: "What an honour! I never thought I'd ever be considered for one and to see the people that have got them - Hailwood, Read, Foggy etc. People get them for different reasons, but you don't get them in a Christmas cracker do you? You've got to earn it. We're a niche sport and to follow in the footsteps of my hero Joey Dunlop who had one is special. When I started racing, I could never have dreamed I'd achieve so much. The news hasn't really sunk in and it's actually difficult to talk about how I'm feeling because it's something I don't really know about. If you were asking me what it's like to be flat out in fourth on a superbike around the Verandah I'd have plenty to say!"

McGuinness' inclusion on the New Year Honours List will be confirmed on 2nd January, but the date for the investiture is yet to be announced due to the current Covid-19 restrictions.

He joins a distinguished list of motorcycle racing royalty who were awarded an MBE during their career. These include: John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, Barry Sheene, Joey Dunlop, David Knight, Maria Costello, Dougie Lampkin and Jonathan Rea.

11) Forthcoming Events (for January and beyond)

TBA - Wakefield MAG AGM

See Above.

All members are invited to attend the 19th Wakefield & District Motorcycle Action Group Branch Annual General Meeting. Exact meeting date is dependant upon Covid-19 restrictions being lifted. At this meeting there will be a Review of our achievements in 2020, Officers Reports, Election of Branch Officers for 2021, Plans for 2021 & a Presentation to our Branch Heroes of 2020. Current MAG Membership Card required to vote. 19:30 for a prompt 20:00 start in the Thatched House, Stanley, Wakefield.

Friday 1st - Monday 1st (Feb) - Wakefield MAG Virtual Post Christmas Auction

See Above.

Check out our 'For Sale' page. We are accepting bids against the advertised list of items, with a closing date of 1st February, after which, the highest bid will have won the item (subject to any reserve price being met). Any items that don't have any bids (or didn't meet the reserve price), will simply be carried forward to the 'physical' auction, whenever we are permitted to host it (watch this space for details). Check out the For Sale page and if you want any of the items, email your bid to us throughout January, and we'll be in touch with you in early February if your's was the highest bid. Good luck with your bidding !!!

Branch email address for your bids: wakefield-rep@mag-uk.org

Sunday 21st March - 2021 Wakefield Hospice 10k Road Race (Wakefield MAG providing Mobile Race Marshals)

Starting from Thornes Park. Marshals assemble at 08:30 on Lawefield Land. Race starts at 09:00

TBA - Into the Valley (ITV) Rally

www.mapevents.co.uk

Friday 18th - Sunday 20th June - Farmyard Party (FYP) Rally

www.mapevents.co.uk

Friday 6th - Sunday 8th August - Yorkshire Pudding Rally (YPR)

www.mapevents.co.uk

See the events page for further details and more !!!

That's all for this month, hope to see you all soon.

Ride Safe .. Ride Free
Steve Travis
Chairman
Wakefield MAG
0772 078 4734

Wakefield MAG meet (Covid-19 restrictions permitting) at the Thatched House, Stanley, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Tuesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.