Wakefield MAG May 2017 Newsletter

Dear Wakefield MAG Member,

Welcome to the Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can't attend our Wednesday meetings regularly, it's the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.

CONTENTS

1) Wakefield MAG Bike Show Report
2) Social Night (Yorkshire Places Quiz) Report
3) ITV Rally Report
4) Yorkshire MAG Rally Tickets - Buy from the Branch and Save on Postage (On-Sale NOW)
5) April Rideout (Ripon and Harewood Hill Climb) Report
6) 15th Birthday Bash (Dog Racing Night) Report
7) Riders are Voters
8) ULEZ Consultation
9) May Rideout
10) MAG National Training Weekend - 10th-12th November 2017
11) Useful Links
12) Forthcoming Events (for May and beyond)

1) Wakefield MAG Bike Show Report

Check out the event report Here.

2) Social Night (Yorkshire Places Quiz) Report

Check out the event report Here.

3) ITV Rally Report

Check out the event report Here.

4) Yorkshire MAG Rally Tickets - Buy from the Branch and Save on Postage (On-Sale NOW)

Rally Bands

Wakefield MAG now have our branch allocation of Sale or Return Tickets rally tickets (for FYP & YPR), which are on sale at every Wednesday meeting. They are selling fast and remember, if you buy your tickets direct from us, you will save on the booking / postage fee !!! Let me know if you want some reserving.

Remember too, the Yorkshire Pudding Rally is a Pre-Book only event, with no 'On the Gate' ticket sales, therefore, if you want to go to this most splendid rally, you have no option other than to get your tickets in advance (and don't leave it until the last minute as this event always sells out weeks before the event ....

Sold out

.... Don't say you haven't been warned !!!

Check out our new 2017 Rally Page Here .... and be sure to watch the video ... you might recognise a few faces ;-)

5) April Rideout (Ripon and Harewood Hill Climb) Report

Check out the rideout report Here.

6) 15th Birthday Bash (Dog Racing Night) Report

Check out the event report Here.

7) Riders are Voters

MAG is approaching all the political parties to ask them: what will you do for the millions of bikers who are voters too?

With the announcement of a General Election on 8th June 2017, MAG is insisting on answers to the question: what will your party do for bikers? The question matters because there are scores of seats in which the motorcycling vote exceeds the majority of the sitting MP. MAG's Political Unit is already preparing to engage with the parties at the highest level on the basis that the 'biking vote' could swing the result of the entire election. "We'll be launching our manifesto for biking and inviting the parties to provide an official response," says MAG Chair, Selina Lavender. "Given the short time available we'll be handling quite a lot of this centrally. However, candidates can fully expect local bikers to be quizzing them on their biking policies too. Nobody expects politicians to all be experts on motorcycling but what we're looking for is a positive mind-set and a willingness to see bikes as part of the transport solution, rather than part of the problem."

MAG is also offering support to bikers who wish to organise their own local debates for candidates. "We have a 'how to' guide which is available from HQ," explains Lembit Öpik, MAG's Director of Communications & Public Affairs. "Just call 01926 844 064 (or see below). It's very straightforward - all it needs is a little preparation time and calling around." Alternatively, you can attend one of the many debates which will occur all over the country where candidates will have to answer questions from the public.

Key themes for MAG include:

"Elections are the times when politicians have to listen and respond to the public: their careers depend on it," adds Selina. "As riders, we're wise to make the most of these opportunities."

MAG General Election Handbook 2017

The Handbook covers setting up a debate, and how to ask the right questions at other debates (This is usually permitted and it can be the fastest way to get the riders' message across), sending correspondence to the political parties and activists and engaging with the candidates. In terms of correspondence there is the option of using a questionnaire, which has been tried and tested. There is a list of questions which can be copied and pasted, including a standard wording for an email to use with the questions. All that's required is to fill in the blanks and press SEND. So you can use any one of the options - or all three. Now is the time to make our voice heard at the General Election, so that biker-friendly policies are written into manifestos and changes made to national party policies: because there's a lobbyist in every one of us.

The Handbook has been updated because of the extra information, helpful tips and experience gained by MAG members during and since the last election, by-elections and routine dealings with MPs, Councillors and the media. The price of the Handbook is zero: we're sharing it for free. All you have to do is follow the General Election Handbook Link or get in touch with MAG HQ.

8) ULEZ Consultation

MAG invites riders to participate in the crucial consultation over potentially disastrous charges in London for riders who own older motorcycles.

The organisation responsible for transport policy in the Capital, Transport for London (TfL), has revealed proposals to slap a huge charge on riders who use bikes built prior to around 2007 (not very old in the world of bikes). The charge, called 'ULEZ' (which stands for Ultra Low Emissions Zone) is pegged at £12.50 per day, every day you ride in the city: exactly the same as that proposed for old petrol and relatively new diesel cars. It applies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even if you ride for 20 seconds from one end of your street to the other.

"We've seen a lot of anti-biking moves in London but this one takes the biscuit," says MAG's Chair, Selina Lavender. "TfL's only justification for trying to charge riders £12.50 a day is on environmental grounds. But the figures for the emissions they're interested are negligible in respect to bikes. MAG estimates that with Nitrogen Dioxide (NOx), bikes produce at most one three-thousandth of this emission, while gas central heating accounts for almost two-fifths of it in the city centre. As for particulate matter (PMs), even electric cars produce more than bikes do. It looks like TfL are trying to charge us just because they can. MAG is taking a stand and this is a red line for us. It amounts to blatant discrimination against a mode of transport which helps to solve the emissions problem a lot better than even electric cars."

Selina is asking you to respond to the consultation, objecting to the principle of charging riders. "A discount is not acceptable either, as this simply punishes us less for doing the right thing. The environmental and congestion benefits of bikes - including old ones - are massive."

Please add your voice to our opposition to the ULEZ charge on motorcycles and scooters of any age by sending your comments to: tfl.gov.uk/airquality-consultation

The consultation ends on 25th June 2017 and our objective is to get as many responses in as possible regarding this discriminatory charge. If we can ensure hundreds of responses that would make a significant impact on how bikes are seen and treated. And don't think that because you don't live in London it doesn't affect you ...... what happens in London invariably comes to the regions also, so it will affect you eventually !!!! If you do just one political thing in the next few weeks, please make it a response to this consultation.

9) May Ridout

Our Rideout for the month of May will be held on Sunday 14th May. The destination is Spurn Point (or thereabouts) on the glorious East Coast.

Spurn Point

Your genial rideout leader will be Terry Scott.

Terry Scott

Usual Rideout rules apply. Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT. Hope to see you there.

10) MAG National Training Weekend - 10th-12th November 2017

MAG is pleased to announce the return of its Activists' Training Weekend. This first event for a number of years will be held at York Racecourse Centre over the weekend of 10th - 12th November 2017. The plan is delegates will arrive Friday evening for a meal and informal chat about MAG, followed by structured training sessions on Saturday and Sunday, departing Sunday lunchtime. The sessions will cover many varied topics such as:

Previous events have been very educational and lots of fun, and delegates have returned full of enthusiasm and with a huge motivation to get stuck in - 'Ask not what MAG can do for you but what you can do for MAG' ... in short, it's a must attend event for existing and budding MAG activists and officers.

Accommodation is en-suite twin rooms. A £25.00 per-person deposit is required to secure your booking (which will be returned when you attend). Priority will be given to serving MAG officers for these limited places. To register your interest, please contact central-office@mag-uk.org or tel: 01926 844064 with your name, membership number and MAG role including group/region (if a MAG officer).

More details to follow.

11) Useful Links

A few interesting and useful links you may wish to take a look at and/or bookmark:

12) Forthcoming Events (for May and beyond)

Sunday 14th May - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: Spurn Point (or thereabouts)

See Above.

Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT

Wednesday 31st May - Wakefield MAG Social Night (hosted by Clare Ellam) - Event: TBC

20:30 in the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield

Friday 16th June - Sunday 18th June 2017 - Farmyard Party (FYP) Rally

See Yorkshire Rallies

www.farmyardparty.co.uk

Sunday 25th June - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: TBC)

Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT

Wednesday 28th June - Wakefield MAG Social Night - Event: TBC

20:30 in the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield

Friday 7th July (TBC) - Fleur de Lys Classic Vehicle Show

4pm-8pm, Clarence Park, Wakefield. Free for spectators. More details at: fleurdelyscvs.org/

Saturday 15th July - Wakefield MAG Sea Fishing Trip (Sunderland Coast on the Sapphire Charter Boat)

£55 each, which includes hire of all the gear and the bait, and 8 hours out on the boat. Party of 10 max. More details in the : Feb 2017 Newsletter

Sunday 23rd July - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: TBC)

Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT

Wednesday 26th July - Wakefield MAG Social Night - Event: TBC

20:30 in the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield

Friday 4th August - Sunday 6th August 2017 - Yorkshire Pudding Rally (YPR)

www.yorkshirepuddingrally.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 at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Wednesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.