Dear Wakefield MAG Member,
Welcome to the October 2021 Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can't attend our Tuesday meetings regularly, it's the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.
CONTENTS
1) New MAG Chair
2) Wakefield MAG Bedale Rideout - Sunday 26th September 2021
3) The beginning of the end for wire rope barriers: MAG Northern Ireland victory
4) MAG to promote new road safety vision at major event
5) MAG makes steady progress on improved motorcycle theft reporting
6) October Rideout - Sunday 17th October
7) Yorkshire MAG Mugs
8) Bingo Night
9) Wakefield MAG Christmas Raffle
10) Kidzaware Christmas Toy Collection
11) Forthcoming Events (for October and beyond)
The Motorcycle Action Group announced the result of the 2021 Chair election on Saturday 25th September. Neil Liversidge is returned as the new Chair. Votes cast were as follows:
Congratulations to Neil, who won by a margin of 18% and is of course no stranger to Wakefield MAG, as he originally formed the branch way back in 2002 .... and the rest is history as they say.
Neil has recently appointed Ian Churchlow to be his Vice Chair (ex NI Regional Rep, MAG Director and Halifax resident).
2)Wakefield MAG Bedale Rideout - Sunday 26th September 2021
Read the event report here
3) The beginning of the end for wire rope barriers: MAG Northern Ireland victory
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) is delighted to advise that there has been a victory for common sense and road safety in Northern Ireland, with the use of wire rope barriers on roads being terminated. MAG NI Rep, Martyn Boyd, has been working hard on this issue for some time, along with input from MAG's Political Unit (Colin Brown and Lembit Öpik) and Ian Churchlow, Director and incoming Vice Chair.
A sustained campaign, culminating in a strong case being put to the Department of Infrastructure and Minister Nicola Mallon, has now resulted in a positive outcome for road safety and the safety of motorcyclists in particular.
In January 2021 the regulations governing central reservation crash barrier requirements were changed and going forward any new or upgrading road schemes for or on a road which requires or has a central reservation barrier, will be required to install rigid barriers (for example W beam or concrete 'cushions'). The barriers will have a design life of 50 years and wire rope style barriers will no longer be used. In addition, any existing wire rope style barriers requiring replacement due to damage or age will be replaced by a rigid barrier.
Martyn commented: "We know we won't see wire rope barriers being ripped out wholesale and replaced immediately, but it is still great news for rider safety in the long term and I'm confident that I achieved the best realistic result possible. I'm very pleased to have achieved such a positive outcome for motorcyclists regarding this issue."
MAG hopes that this outcome will be extended to the rest of the UK and - with this in mind - Colin Brown, it's Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, will shortly be approaching the Department for Transport to discuss the topic, which is currently one of MAG's 'five priorities'.
4) MAG to promote new road safety vision at major event
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) will be presenting the case for a new vision for road safety at the Road Safety GB Festival of Road Safety. MAG's Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, is once again included in the line-up of speakers for the 2021 RSGB Festival of Road Safety, a major event in the road safety calendar. This year's video presentation will robustly make the case for the Welcoming Roads vision for road safety.
Welcoming Roads was developed by MAG and has been adopted by the National Motorcyclists Council. The vision was born out of a recognition that casualty reductions in all areas of road safety have flatlined in the last decade, and the fact that motorcycle safety is underfunded and too often treated as an afterthought. The Welcoming Roads vision aims to redress the balance for motorcycling whilst remaining true to the stance that all road users should benefit from safer roads.
MAG is keen that the vision be adopted by the whole road safety community and not seen as merely a niche solution for motorcyclists.
Colin says: "Welcoming Roads is about achieving the best outcomes for all road users. We repeatedly see motorcycle casualties being ignored, or worse still held up as a reason to restrict our passion. This vision seeks to redress the balance and ensure that riders' safety is given fair investment and priority. In a world that is keen to promote active travel and public transport it is vital that the interests of riders are not sidelined. Making this point to the road safety community is critical."
MAG's manifesto for the Welcoming Roads vision can be found here: https://bit.ly/WelcomeRoads2021
The Festival of Road Safety is an online event that will take place between 1st and 26th November 2021. The full list of confirmed speakers at the Festival of Road Safety can be found here: https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/festival/festival-content/
5) MAG makes steady progress on improved motorcycle theft reporting The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has continued to make progress on their work to improve motorcycle theft reporting. On the 21st September MAG published a revised edition of the 2020 National Police Force Bike Theft Ranking document. MAG's Campaigns Team is continually working to improve the quality of motorcycle crime data available to riders and policy makers. This work is driven by the need to take robust action to reduce levels of motorcycle theft in the UK. MAG's annual report on motorcycle theft statistics - released in August - is being used as a tool to open the debate with many police forces, commissioners and politicians. The report mentions issues with figures reported in Hertfordshire and concerns about figures reported in Gwent. Dialogue with both forces and their respective Police & Crime Commissioners has led to an offer to explore potential routes for increased data accuracy by Hampshire Police and correction of the data supplied by Gwent.
MAG has also had meetings with Home Office policy advisors and the London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). As the revised report mentions, 46% of all reported thefts disclosed have occurred in London, making the need for a concerted campaign in the capital very clear.
MAG's Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said: "I am happy with some of the response we are seeing, but there is still an incredibly long way to go. Motorcycle theft has declined during the pandemic, but there is no case for complacency. There remains the need for riders to demand a more proactive response to the issue."
MAG works with the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group (MCRG) and has recently offered to take on a lead role in its work. The revised National Police Force Bike Theft Rankings document can be found here: https://bit.ly/TheftRank2020v2
MAG calls on all riders to use the data in the report to challenge their local Police & Crime Commissioners, MPs and Councillors to devise a multi-agency plan to robustly tackle motorcycle theft in their area.
6) October Rideout - Sunday 17th October
Our next planned Sunday Rideout is on Sunday 17th October. The destination is the NY500 Meet-up venue and Cafe near Pickering. The 3rd Sunday of every month is a bike meet at NY500, so expect lots of bikes there when we visit. Mick has planned a scenic route that does not involve the A64.
Meet 8:30 (leaving at 09:00) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT on Sunday 17th October.
We recommend that before you set off, check our Facebook Group (www.facebook.com/groups/wakefieldmag) as in the event of forecast prolonged and heavy rain, we may cancel the rideout and this will be advised on the Facebook page (but hopefully it will be cracking the flags !!!)
All welcome, Learner friendly route, and hope to see you there.
Look at these mighty fine beverage vessels ..... We have a stock of these for sale at the branch meetings and they are a snip at £5, with the profits going into the MAG coffers. Let me know if you want one (or more, hell, why not have a set to go with your dinner service), and I'll bring them down to the Tuesday meetings. They would also make jolly nice stocking fillers for Christmas ... Just saying ;-)
Eyes Down for another Fun Filled Night of Bingo !!! Cash and Prize Bingo, and lot's of hilarity guaranteed. All profits to the MAG Fighting Fund. The excitement starts at 20:00 at the Thatched House, Stanley, Wakefield, on Tuesday 26th October.
Hope to see you there.
9) Wakefield MAG Christmas Raffle
Following the undoubted success of our Christmas raffle in 2019, we are hosting another Christmas Hamper Raffle for 2021 with the chance to win a luxury hamper plus other prizes. The tickets are being printed and should be available to buy from mid-October. Tickets will be £1 each (although Chas prefers to sell a book at a time for £5 ;-) and will be drawn at the Wakefield MAG meeting on Tuesday 14th December at 20:30. All proceeds to the MAG Fighting Fund for the on-going protection of your freedom to ride your motorcycle. Please buy some and let's boost the MAG coffers.
10) Kidzaware Christmas Toy Collection
We are hosting another Christmas Toy Collection for Kidzaware, for Christmas 2021. We are collecting toys and presents (age range: A few months to early twenties) which we will deliver to this very worthwhile local charity in early December.
Please bring along any toys / presents (unwrapped at this stage) to any Tuesday Wakefield MAG meeting, up to and including Tuesday 14th December. If you can't make a meeting but would still like to donate some toys / presents, please let us know, and we'll arrange to collect them from you. Thank you in advance for supporting this most worthwhile Wakefield based charity.
11) Forthcoming Events (for October and beyond)
Sunday 17th October - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: NY500 Cafe near Pickering)
See Above. Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT.
Tuesday 26th October - Bingo
See Above
Sunday 14th November - Remembrance Sunday
Attending the City of Wakefield Remembrance Sunday service, followed by the Mirfield Remembrance Sunday Parade, alongside the Royal British Legion Riders (RBLR) where bikes head up the parade.
Tuesday 30th November - Biker Quiz Nite
60 questions, 30 of which will be motorcycle related and 30 will be general knowledge (but there will be a bike related link / theme somewhere, however tenuous). The quiz is hotly contested throughout Yorkshire (although Leeds MAG invariably win). Open to All. £1 entry fee p.p. Team (Max. 5) or individual entry. Great prizes for the winners (1st, 2nd & 3rd), plus booby prize for the least number of correct answers. All proceeds to the MAG Fighting Fund. 20:00 in the Thatched House
Saturday 11th December - Christmas Do
A Christmas Meal, proceeded and followed by several goblets of foaming ale, at the Thatched House
Tuesday 14th December - Christmas Hamper Draw
See Above
Tuesday 14th December - Deadline for Kidzaware Christmas Toy Collection Donations
See Above
Tuesday 11th January 2022 - Wakefield Branch 20th AGM - The branch will be 20 years old !!!!
Tuesday 25th January 2022 - Post Christmas Auction
Got lots of unwanted Christmas presents ? Got items that are of use/value but you don't have the space for them any more ? Prepared to donate them for a good cause ? Bring them along to the Wakefield MAG 'Post Christmas Auction' where they will be raffled off to the highest bidder, with all the proceeds being donated to MAG and other worthy causes. 20:00 in the Thatched House.
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 at the Thatched House, Stanley, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Tuesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.