Motorcycles: A Solution Ignored

Commercial activity causes the majority of traffic congestion and motor vehicle pollution. Motorcycle commuting addresses both these issues but it is far from encouraged in NSW, especially Parramatta.

Both Sydney and North Sydney CBDs have rows of parked motorcycles on any given business day, but Parramatta doesn't. Maybe our demographics are different; however the numbers of parked motorcycles is significantly less. The Chamber would support any initiative Parramatta City Council and the NSW Government could initiate to encourage more people to take up motorcycling to work.

Some councils try to cut car numbers and encourage bike use to minimise congestion, mainly through dedicated, free parking areas. Motorcycles take up a third of the space as cars and are able to use bus and transit lanes.

Carbon emissions, the great issue of the day, are significantly less from motorcycles than cars. So why are governments not doing more to encourage their use?

Exasperating this situation, the cost of third party insurance for 250cc machines, scooters and learner legal bikes, all perfect for daily commuting, recently increased by 85.5%. This slug is now on par with small cars. Yet there is no data supporting this rise.

CTP covers injury to third parties. If a motorcyclist crashes through no fault of their own, from say oil on the road or a car pulling out in front of them, who gets injured? The motorcyclist, making a CTP rise totally unjustifiable.

What's more, the NSW Government funds pedestrians and bicycle riding bodies to challenge for their rights, but makes no funding available for motorcyclists' representation. And yet motorcyclists hold one of the keys to reducing pollution and traffic congestion.

The Chamber supports the right of motorcyclists not to be ripped off and challenges government to get behind the environmental benefits of encouraging motorcycle use.