IHIE Guidelines for Motorcycling

IHIE GUIDELINES FOR MOTORCYCLING

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1.1 The Scope of these Guidelines

Motorcycles and policy

1.1.2 All modes of transport have strengths and weaknesses; goodpractice demands the framing and implementation of policies tomaximise the strengths and minimise the weaknesses.Motorcycleshave long provided a cost-effective and relatively low-pollutingform of transport for commuting,work or leisure purposes. Despiteriders being susceptible to serious injury even in low-speedcollisions, the specific safety needs of motorcycles with theirreliance on an adequate and consistent friction between their tyresand the road surface are frequently overlooked by policy makers,planners, road designers and maintenance engineers.

Motorcycles and Travel Plans

1.1.3 A Travel Plan is an access strategy used to manage multi-modal access to the workplace.Travel Plans focus on encouragingmodal shift from single-occupancy private cars by improvingoptions for travel to the workplace and encourage wider use ofsustainable transport.This is often achieved by introducing acombination of incentives and disincentives to persuade andsupport people using alternative commuter modes.Motorcycles arean affordable alternative mode of transport where public transportprovision is lacking or non-existent and where distance dictatesthat walking and cycling are unrealistic. For these reasons they willbe a common feature of many Travel Plans.

Motorcycles and traffic engineering

1.1.4 The requirements for safe use by motorcycles demand specialconsideration by the traffic engineer. Some features, benign toother road users, can present a hazard to motorcycles.The issue ofmotorcycle access to bus lanes and advanced stop lines at trafficsignals is contentious but a number of existing schemes and trials

IHIE GUIDELINES FOR MOTORCYCLING 7

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1.1.1Motorcycles have been a feature of our roads for well overa hundred years. During that time they have served as a basicmode of transport, an economical alternative to the car, aworkhorse and even a lifestyle icon.Their popularity has risen andfallen in concert with a number of diverse social and economicfactors. Recent years have seen an upturn in the popularity ofmotorcycling, bringing the advantages and disadvantages of themode into sharp relief, the most obvious of the latter being safety.Although motorcycles were able to exceed their year 2000 roadsafety targets, progress since then has been poor. Against the 2010casualty reduction targets,motorcycle casualty numbers have notimproved to the same extent as other modes. By the end of 2006Motorcycle rider KSIs were only 1% below the 1994-98 baseline.Currently,motorcycles are the only mode of transport that isshowing an increase rather than a decrease in casualty numbers.However, it is important to remember that those servicesprovided by the motorcycle for over a century are still valid andthat being a vulnerable mode is not the same as being anundesirable one.

would suggest that motorcyclists can use such facilities withoutdisadvantaging other vulnerable road users.More trials are needed,especially in the shared use of Advanced Stop Lines.

Motorcycles and parking

1.1.5 Parking provision is an important tool in local transportpolicies as well as traffic management and crime reduction. It is alsoa fundamental requirement for any motorcycle user.Motorcycleparking can be provided on-street or off-street, in surface parkingor multi-storey parking, by commercial site operators as well aslocal authorities, employers, retailers, and colleges.

Motorcycles and maintenance

1.1.6 A good quality surface gives a safer,more pleasant experiencefor all road users, but it is an essential requirement for motorcyclists.Factors affecting motorcycle stability include: skid resistance,surface contamination and debris, drainage gullies, utility covers,road markings and road studs all of which should be consideredfrom a motorcycle-inclusive viewpoint.

Motorcycles and road safety campaigns

1.1.7 Road safety campaigns are a vital ingredient in the mix ofinitiatives needed to improve the safety record of motorcyclists.Rider attitudes play a major role in determining rider behaviour,irrespective of age or trip purpose. Any measure designed tomodify behaviour must address these attitudes and take account ofthe individuality often expressed in choosing a motorcycle as thetravel mode. Riders respond better to messages related to their ownperspective and are likely to ignore “must do”or “must not do”approaches.

Motorcycles and traffic calming

1.1.8 Traffic calming measures are very effective in reducingnumbers of injury accidents, especially in residential areas, andpolarising public opinion about their desirability.Motorcyclists areno more exempt from the intended effects of traffic calmingdevices than any other road user, but they can sufferdisproportionately from unintended effects, often safety-related,which then undermine the casualty-reducing purpose of installingtraffic calming measures in the first place.

Motorcycles and Road Safety Audit

1.1.9 Road Safety Audit has existed in the UK since the late 1980s.Audits of trunk road and motorway schemes have been mandatorysince 1991.Many local authorities voluntarily carry out such design-independent audits using the trunk road standard as a reference.Highway design and traffic engineering practice in England andWales usually separates safety auditing and user auditing.The latterfocuses on encouraging better infrastructure provision forsustainable and often vulnerable modes to encourage modal shift.However, it has always been good practice for safety auditors totake a multi-modal approach to the process, taking special care

8 IHIE GUIDELINES FOR MOTORCYCLING

with safety implications for vulnerable road users; equestrians,cyclists and pedestrians.While not being completely overlooked,motorcyclists have had a lower profile in this “special care” regime,perhaps because the higher speeds of motorcycles push them,almost intuitively, into the same camp as twin-track motor vehicles.This is a serious misapprehension.The dynamics of motorcycles andthe vulnerability of their riders make motorcycling a unique modein the traffic mix, demanding separate, informed consideration bydesigners and auditors alike.

1.2 Naming Conventions

1.2.1 Throughout the Guidelines the term“motorcycle” is used tocover all forms of powered two wheelers (PTW) from the smallestmopeds, through scooters to the largest sports and touringmachines.The terms “twin track vehicle” and “single track vehicle”are also used in the Guidelines. Although the terms are far fromelegant, they do focus on the fundamental design differencesbetween motorcycles and other motor vehicles that often lead tothe misunderstanding at policy, design and operational levels withconsequent under-performance of the road environment.

1.3 Types of Motorcycle

1.3.1 There are a wide variety of machines available today all ofwhich have there own characteristics covering design, typicalengine size, handling and style. Similarly, the riders of a given typeof machine may be very diverse. In law, a motorcycle is a two-wheeled vehicle that is not a moped (see below); riders must beaged 17 or over.

Standard or Naked

1.3.2 These vehicles cover a wide range of the performancespectrum of power, handling and braking. Sometimes called “retro”machines they are typically used as practical transport, but with nofairing (or a small handlebar fairing) and have an upright ridingposition.

Custom

1.3.3 Also known as “cruisers”or “choppers” they are long with a lowsaddle height and typically have high handlebars with forwardfootrests.The emphasis is on appearance, and style, with polishedchrome much in evidence.

Trail/Enduro/Adventure sport

1.3.4 Also known as “Dual-Sport”bikes, they combine featuresneeded to ride on or off road. Larger machines are often similar tothose included in the ‘touring’ category, for example fairings andlarger luggage compartments.

Touring

1.3.5 These machines generally have large engines and aredesigned for relaxed, long-distance riding.Typical features include a


Standard or Naked.TriumphMotorcycles Ltd.

Custom.TriumphMotorcycles Ltd.

Trail/Enduro/Adventure sport.Honda (UK).

Touring.Honda (UK).

more comfortable seating position for rider and pillion, luggagecapacity and weather protection, such as fairings with a fixed oradjustable windscreen.

Sports

1.3.6 These machines may be designed to mimic racingmotorcycles, with full fairings and low handlebars, or may havepartial fairings and more practical rider and pillion seating, withmedium-rise handlebars for longer distance travel. They tend tohave medium to large capacity engines.

Scooters

1.3.7 Representing about 25% of motorcycles on the road, scootersdiffer significantly from most other motorcycles because of theirbodywork and ”step-through”chassis design. Engines are usuallysmall to medium capacity, integral to the rear suspension andnormally with automatic transmission.

Mopeds

1.3.8 In law,mopeds are motorised two-wheel vehicles with anengine capacity of less than 50cc and a maximum speed of 30mph.Riders must be aged 16 or over.Most electric-powered machines(not to be confused with electrically-assisted bicycles) are akin tomopeds.

1.4 Increasing Motorcycle Use

1.4.1.1Motorcycle use has continued to grow over the last decadeby all relevant measures.Motorcycle usage is far more seasonalthan most other motorised modes.The standard measure ofvehicles in use is taken from an end-of-year DVLA census; typically atime of year when significant numbers of motorcycles are out ofuse and untaxed.This does not give an accurate picture of all

motorcycles in use, which is thought to be around 1/3 higher, asshown in the chart at figure 1 (this is explored more fully in the DfTCompendium of Motorcycle Statistics).

1.4.2 The growing number of motorcycles has meant a significant


Sports.Yamaha UK.

Scooters.Piaggio Ltd.

Figure 1:Motorcycles in use 1996-2006 (DfT 2007).

rise in the level of motorcycle traffic; Road Statistics 2006: Traffic,Speeds and Congestion (DfT 2007) shows how motorcycle traffic hasgrown more than that of other vehicle types at 37% between 1996and 2006 (figure 2).This rise compares with an increase in all motor

vehicle traffic of 15% and an increase in road-length of 2.9% overthe same period. The increase in motorcycle use may be a responseto traffic congestion, as is the greater use of bicycles and publictransport, the Compendium of Motorcycle Statistics (DfT 2006)indicates the majority of motorcycle use is for commuting.

1.4.3 The rise in all modes suggests that, where growth inmotorcycling has resulted from modal switch,motorcycles havereplaced car use, with most motorcycle users also having access toa car.

1.5 Motorcycle Safety

1.5.1.1 Safety is without doubt the single issue most commonlyassociated with motorcycle use among transport professionals andthe wider public. Although fatal accidents are still rare events inabsolute terms - one rider is killed every nine million kilometrestravelled by motorcycle - riders are many times more likely to bekilled than occupants of enclosed,“twin-track” vehicles which offerfar more protection in the event of a collision.

1.5.2.1 In 2005, of 569 motorcycle users killed, 75% died aftercollision with a larger vehicle (Road Casualties Gt Britain 2005 DfT2006).The single largest grouping of such collisions was the 43% incollision with a single car. In terms of danger to other road users,figures for 2005 show 3.6% (n=20) of pedestrian road deaths and2.7% (n=4) of cyclist deaths followed collision with a motorcycle.

1.5.3.1 There is also concern over the 23% (n=133) of riders killed inaccidents where no other road-user was recorded as beinginvolved. However, this figure is low compared with occupants ofcars where 37% (n=613) died in such accidents during 2003 andeven higher proportions for other larger vehicles.

Motorcycle casualty rates


Figure 2:Motorcycle Traffic (billion kilometres) 1996-2006 (DfT 2007).

1.5.4.1While there is no place for complacency when dealing withthose killed or injured on our roads, it is important to recognise thata key measure of safety, the rider casualty rate per kilometre (aproxy for rider exposure to risk), has shown year-on-yearimprovement, falling by 28% over the 1994-98 baseline years forcasualty reduction targets (figure 3, below). It should be noted thereare no disaggregated targets for motorcycles. A number ofimprovements in motorcycle design and rider training have taken

place over the last decade and the overall casualty rate formotorcycles has generally improved, despite the largely urbannature of motorcycle use and greater volume of larger vehicleswithin the same road space. Unfortunately the fatality rate hasremained more or less constant at around 11 to 12 rider deaths perhundred million vehicle kilometres.

Motorcycle accidents - urban and rural

1.5.5.1 Urban and rural areas see different patterns of motorcycleaccidents.The severity of these accidents also tends to vary with thekinds of hazards encountered, and the impact speed of the vehiclesinvolved.While the rural accident involvement rate (per 100 millionKm ridden) was 38% lower than for urban roads in 2005, themotorcycle user fatality rate was three times higher on rural roads.

1.5.6 There is a public focus on rural casualties; but as accidentsoccur on both urban and rural roads so strategies need to betargeted in both areas.Motorcycling is playing an increasinglyimportant role as an alternative to the car in congested areas andrider vulnerability in towns and cities needs to be addressed withsimilar vigour to strategies to reduce casualties in rural areas wheremotorcycle safety has a higher profile.

1.5.7 Broadly speaking,motorcycle traffic is split 60:40 between


Figure 3:Motorcycle rider casualty rates 1996-2006 (DfT 2006; DfT2007).

Table 1: Motorcycle KSI casualties by roadenvironment – 2001 to 2005 (DfT 2006).

Built Up Roads Non Built Up Roads All RoadsKilled KSI Killed KSI All Casualties

2001 218 4374 349 2792 288102002 242 4529 347 2811 283532003 245 4502 448 3986 284112004 259 4511 353 2543 296332005 239 4356 352 2475 28814

urban and rural roads and this is reflected in a similar split for non-

fatal rider casualties.The situation is reversed for fatalities, where

60% occur outside built-up areas.

The number of motorcycle user deaths in rural areas has been

relatively stable in recent years, but rose by 28% in 2003, perhaps


Figure 4: Motorcyclist KSI casualties: number and rate by month of year(indexed), 2005 (DfT 2004b).

v Junctions: 66% of all motorcycles involved in accidentsduring 2005 were reported as “at a junction”,makingjunctions the most common accident location and,according to studies, these are most likely to beprecipitated by another road user.Many collisions takeplace at junctions where the driver of a motor vehicle mayhave “looked but did not see”.There are also a minority ofriders who ride inappropriately, exposing themselves tohigher risk.

v Overtaking: 14% of motorcycle accidents involveovertaking a moving or stationary vehicle.

v Bends: 11% of motorcycles involved in accidents werereported as “going ahead on bend”. In rural areas asignificant proportion of these are involved in singlevehicle accidents with speed and lack of rider skill playing amajor role.

v Time of year:Motorcycle casualty numbers also varyaccording to time of year (see figure 4). As noted above,motorcycle activity rises between spring and autumn, andthe number of KSI rider casualties also rises, but thecasualty rate falls because motorcycle traffic volume alsorises.The rise in absolute casualty numbers in betterweather can shift the focus away from the particularhazards faced by all-year/all-weather riders during wintermonths.

Index

mean=100.

linked to the significant rise in motorcycling during the unusuallylong, fine-weather riding season of that year (see table 1).

Motorcycle accidents in context1.5.8.1 National data from Road Casualties Great Britain 2005 (DfT2006) shows that motorcycle accidents occur in three broadcontexts and have a seasonal element.

1.6 Taking action

1.6.1 In both rural and urban areas,motorcycle casualties are linkedto a variety of factors involving engineering and planning,behaviour, levels of skill and attitudes between motorcyclists andother road users. Compared to car users,motorcyclists arevulnerable mainly due to their physical exposure.

1.6.2 Appropriate action could take the form of individual schemesthrough to an extensive package of measures that integrate to forman overall local motorcycle strategy, with clear targets, not only toreduce casualties, but also to implement measures which mitigatevulnerability and change rider and driver attitudes. It is helpful toadopt a partnership approach with motorcycling stakeholders,including the motorcycle industry, users and businesses.

1.7 The Government’s Motorcycling Strategy

1.7.1 The Government’s Motorcycling Strategy is a key developmentin government thinking on this mode of transport and representsthe first strategy of its kind to be produced in Europe.The strategyeffectively “mainstreams”motorcycling into core transport policyand underpins other work which has already been done toincorporate motorcycling into guidance for Local Transport Plans.Other government resources can now be linked with TheGovernment’s Motorcycling Strategy, for example TAL 2/02 MotorcycleParking and the relevant sections of PPG13: Transport.

1.7.2 The Government’s Motorcycling Strategy builds on the work ofthe Advisory Group on Motorcycling whose final report waspublished in August 2004. It covers a number of aspects ofmotorcycling including rider safety, training, vehicle safety andsecurity.These Guidelines extend on the The Government’sMotorcycling Strategy in the relevant sections that deal with policyand planning, parking provision, traffic engineering, road design,maintenance, road safety and road safety audit.


The Government’s Motorcycling Strategy.DfT.

2.1 Key Points

2.2 Context

2.2.1 All modes of transport have strengths and weaknesses; goodpractice demands the framing and implementation of policies thatmaximise the strengths and minimise the weaknesses.Motorcycleshave long provided a legitimate, cost-effective and relatively low-polluting form of transport, for commuting,work or leisurepurposes. NTS data shows 63% of motorcycle trips are for work,business or education, compared to 30% for cars (DfT 2004).Therehas been an increase of 45% in the number of licensed motorcyclesin the ten years from 1993 to 2002 (DfT 2003) and, if the experienceseen in London following the introduction of congestion chargingis repeated in other cities, coupled with increasing fuel costs, thisgrowth can be expected to continue. It also appears that increasingaffluence, particularly among 30-45 year old men has resulted inthem buying motorcycles for leisure purposes. Increased interest inthe development of Travel Plans provides opportunities forinfluencing the role that motorcycles can play (Chapter 3).

2.2.2 Riders of motorcycles are susceptible to serious injury even inlow-speed collisions yet the specific safety needs of motorcycleswith their reliance on an adequate and consistent friction betweentheir tyres and the road surface, have sometimes been overlookedby policy makers, planners, road designers and maintenanceengineers. Raising awareness among these professionals will helpredress the balance in providing for motorcycles.These Guidelinesare a step in that direction.

2.2.3 Road Safety Audits need to encompass a greater awareness ofmotorcycle behaviour and hazards. It would be helpful if the auditteam and the project manager have a sound knowledge of single-tracked vehicle stability and safety needs, or have access to suchknowledge via an appropriate “expert” (Chapter 9).

2.2.4 Access to accurate and detailed local accident data containingreal-life causation factors is fundamental to policy decisions, atpolitical or professional level. National statistics in Road Casualties inGreat Britain are valuable in providing benchmarking, but local datacan be found in reported injury accidents (STATS19) and even datacollected by local hospital Accident and Emergency units.


CHAPTER 2 POLICY

Motorcycles are part of traffic mix.Keith Sharples Photography.

2.1.1v Local Transport Plans should refer to the role thatmotorcycles can play, focusing on the strengths of themode and containing strategies to mitigate theirweaknesses, including reducing their accident involvementrate.These strategies should cover both engineering andnon-engineering activities.

v Consultation with riders is essential to ensure that strategiesand initiatives meet the needs of the users.

v Good practice in including motorcycling as an integral partof Travel Plans should be followed where appropriate.

v Secure parking facilities should be provided at transportinterchanges and journey ends to mitigate the likelihood oftheft and minimise “unofficial”parking.The public sectorshould set good examples in this area.

2.2.5 The Government set challenging casualty reduction targetsfor the year 2010 that have been adopted by virtually all localauthorities (DfT 2004a). Although the national road safety strategydoes not require it,many local authorities have disaggregated themain casualty reduction target by travel mode, thus highlightingthe relative vulnerability of cyclists and motorcyclists. The level ofmotorcycling has steadily increased since the 1994 to 1998 periodon which the targets are based, so the simple measure of casualtiesis misleading - the more realistic rate per unit of travel shows an18% improvement (DfT 2004b). It is essential to give motorcyclesappropriate and serious attention if the overall casualty reductiontargets are to be met.Many of the required measures will alsobenefit cyclists.

2.3 Integrating Motorcycling into TransportPolicies and Strategies

2.3.1 The Department for Transport (DfT) requires local authoritiesto prioritise transport modes in their Local Transport Plan (LTP).Motorcycles figure above cars in such priority lists in recognition oftheir relative efficiency; both in road-space occupancy terms andtheir overall lower polluting effect (AGoM 2004).The space requiredfor parking twin-track vehicles is often un-costed in LTPs.Motorcycles can substantially reduce this urban overhead cost.

Specific issues to cover in an LTP

2.3.2 The revised LTP guidance from the DfT is quite briefcompared to that given in 2000 and should be considered asadditional to the earlier advice.The revised guidance specificallymentions the advantages and disadvantages of motorcycling andhow to deal with them:

2.3.3 Local authorities may use the guidance to make a convincingcase for motorcycle-related transport policies and planning.There isnow less distinction between bicycles and motorcycles,mobilityscooters for the disabled, and other parts of the widening range oflight mobility options. A sound strategy for sustainable mobilityrequires that the full spectrum is handled consistently, allowingroad space, on-street and off-street parking provision,movementand access to be considered in a balanced manner. Other specificissues the LTP should address include:

vThe need to raise awareness of motorcycles as a legitimatetransport mode.This should be based on the principle thatmotorcycle use has increased without local or centralgovernment advocacy or encouragement, and may continueto do so.There is a difference between “encouragement” and“making provision”. Ignoring any vulnerable mode isunacceptable.


“The use of motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers is onthe increase; greater use of this mode could potentially delivercongestion, accessibility and air quality benefits. However, thepotential of this mode has been undermined by a continuedassociation with poor road safety outcomes…[i]nterventionsshould aim to reduce vulnerability at the same time as improvingaccessibility for motorcyclists.” (DfT 2004c)

vRecognition of the benefits of motorcycle use, tied to specificlocal land use and transport planning issues.

vRecognition of the wide spectrum covered by the term“motorcycle” (or Powered Two-Wheeler), from mopeds tolarge sports and touring machines, and their equally diversetrip purposes.

vFrank examination of the drawbacks to motorcycling - themost obvious being safety, including serious, data-ledanalysis of the local situation. Other drawbacks include:security, noise and vehicle pollution concerns.The LTP shouldcontain the kernels of positive actions to address thesedrawbacks.

vSpecific undertakings to include the good practice identifiedin other chapters of these Guidelines into the operationalpractice of the local authority.

vThe role that motorcycling can play in the local rural transportpolicy.

2.3.4More detail on motorcycles and LTPs can be found in The IHIEBriefing Note On Motorcycling Issues and “LTP2” Second Edition FullGuidance on Local Transport Plans (IHIE 2005).

Congestion charging

2.3.5 The introduction of London’s congestion charging schemehas seen an increase in the use of motorcycles and a reduction incasualty rates for riders within the charging zone (TfL 2004).Thissuggests that exempting motorcycles from congestion charges haseconomic and safety benefits, offering the possibility of largerbenefits as pilot schemes are rolled out in the UK.To maximise theenvironmental benefits of a switch from cars to motorcycles inLondon or any other conurbation there should be a commensurateincrease in convenient and secure parking provision.

Social inclusion

2.3.6Motorcycles can reduce social, educational and economicexclusion for people that do not have easy access to efficient publictransport or to a car - this is especially true in rural areas. In someareas low-cost, low-powered motorcycles are made available todisadvantaged rural dwellers through theWheels toWork schemeso that they can access education and work opportunities (Chapter3). In some other areas, local authorities have chosen not toencourage motorcycle use in view of the perceived risk and theanti-social use of motorcycles by a minority.

Government initiatives

2.3.7 The Government is introducing or involved with a variety ofmeasures to improve the safety record of motorcycles.These include:

v The Advisory Group on Motorcycling, which reported inAugust 2004.

v The Government’s National Motorcycling Strategy, publishedFebruary 2005.

v The Driving Standards Agency’s (DSA) role in training andtesting.

v Support for national and local publicity initiatives.


Parking demand exceeding supply.BMF.

Motorcycles are part of rural transport.Keith Sharples Photography.

v Sponsorship for the British Super Bike race series - raising theprofile of the Government’s “Think” campaign.

v The Motorcycle Casualty Reduction Group - led by theAssociation of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). ACPO haverecently published their Motorcycle Enforcement Strategy.

2.4 Consulting with Riders

Wide spectrum

2.4.1 It is essential that the safety and security needs of allmotorcycle riders are met and not just those of organised ridergroups.The two main rider organisations, the British Motorcyclists’Federation (BMF) and Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) are well-respected and organised, but their membership does notnecessarily represent a true cross-section of all riders, despite theirbest endeavours.The range of motorcycles available and the use towhich they are put is very wide indeed - from restricted mopedsand scooters used as fashionable, basic, transport, throughcommuting and at-work use, to leisure riding and touring. Even thislast category covers everything from classic machines to sportsbikes - all requiring different riding styles and used by riders withdifferent attitudes and behaviour. A full understanding of the needsof diverse users is necessary in order to provide a safer ridingenvironment.

Rider forums

2.4.2 Local authorities may find it useful to establish a motorcycleforum in order to facilitate information gathering to help identifymotorcyclists’ needs. Authorities with experience in this fieldinclude; Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Devon CountyCouncil, Bedfordshire County Council and Cornwall County Council(see example below). The forum should be as representative aspossible of riders in the community or those who use the area’sroads, as well as including appropriate officers, representing roadsafety engineering, road safety education, the police, tourism andeconomic development. Other bodies that may be able to helpinclude regional groups of the Institute of Advanced Motorists(IAM) - they are not only concerned with car driving - and the RoyalSociety for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). It is advisable tosupplement a forum by other methods of gathering views in orderto ensure that a wide variety of users are consulted. Examples of

other methods are:

Example: Cornwall County Council

2.4.3 Cornwall County Council, working with the TransportResearch Laboratory (TRL), established a motorcyclist forum toexamine issues affecting local riders. A web-based survey form was


vFocus groups.vConsumer research at retail outlets.vRequests for feedback via local newspapers, colleges andbusinesses.

v Internet-based information collection.

used to gain wider views.The Cornwall Motorcyclists’ Forum hashad a significant input to the Cornwall Strategy for Powered TwoWheelers and just as importantly continues to meet to monitor anddevelop this strategy.

2.5 Travel Plans and Motorcycles

2.5.1Motorcycles should figure in all Travel Plans, including thosefor sixth form colleges and adult or late-teen educationalestablishments, with the lead being set by local authorities. Anyapproach to educational establishments must present informationcarefully and must not be seen as encouraging a move tomotorcycles from other modes such as walking, cycling, trains orbuses.

2.5.2 The drafting and delivery of Travel Plans (Chapter 3) is often acondition of planning approval for any type of development.Wherethere are two-tier local government arrangements, this will meanliaison between authorities responsible for roads and thoseresponsible for planning functions. All modes of travel should beconsidered within the Travel Plan, including motorcycles.Convenient and secure parking for motorcycles should be provided,together with changing facilities and equipment lockers.

2.6 Motorcycle Security

2.6.1 Security of motorcycles at journey’s end is an importantpolicy consideration, given the relative ease with whichmotorcycles can be stolen.The absence of convenient and secureparking can be a severe barrier to motorcycle use or lead toinappropriate or illegal parking.This needs to be considered forprivate parking at business premises as well as for on-street or off-street parking (Chapter 5).

2.7 Policy is Vital

2.7.1Motorcycles can reduce congestion, reduce parking spacerequirements and improve accessibility, especially at places andtimes when public transport is limited.Motorcycles also provide acost-effective mode of transport for those with limited resources. Inview of their vulnerability, the specific safety needs of motorcyclistsneed to be carefully considered by road designers and trafficengineers in the design, implementation and maintenance of anyworks on public roads. However, it is unlikely that professionals onthe operational side of road infrastructure provision will make astep change in their approach to catering for motorcyclists if thelead has not been set by policymakers at local, regional andnational level.


Security is key.Keith Sharples Photography.

3.1 Key Points

3.2 Context

3.2.1 A Travel Plan is an access strategy used to manage multi-modal access to the workplace.The Travel Plan focuses onencouraging modal shift from single occupancy private cars byimproving options for travel to the workplace and encouragingwider use of sustainable transport.This is often achieved byintroducing a combination of incentives and disincentives topersuade and support people using alternative commuter modes.

3.2.2 Travel Plans are required to be submitted alongside planningapplications for developments likely to have a significant impact ontransport.They are also commonly introduced by organisations inresponse to concerns about growing traffic congestion or where carparking problems exist. Tailored to each individual organisation,Travel Plans are an efficient way of managing commuter journeysand business travel and where parking space is at a premium.

3.2.3 The Transport Energy Best Practice programme providesguidance and support for development of travel plans:http://www.transportenergy.org.uk/developtravelplan

3.2.4Motorcycles are an affordable alternative mode of transportwhere public transport provision is lacking or non-existent andwhere distance dictates that walking and cycling are unrealistic.NTS data shows 63% of motorcycle trips are for work, business oreducation, compared to 30% for cars (DfT 2004). For these reasonsthey should be a common feature of many Travel Plans.

3.3 Potential Benefits of an Increase inMotorcycle Use

For an organisation

3.3.1v Increased social inclusion and equality in the workplace,

through widening choice for employees and providingopportunities to those who may not be able to easily accesspublic transport services.

v Increased productivity from a healthier, better-motivatedworkforce as a result of a reliable, less stressful journey towork. A three-month study involving co-operation between ascooter manufacturer and a large accountancy firm into theeffects of switching from car to scooter showed decreasedstress levels and increased productivity (FNN 2004).


CHAPTER 3 TRAVEL PLANS

3.1.1 There are advantages to including motorcycling into TravelPlans. Good schemes offer:

v Incentives to encourage staff to switch from a lesssustainable mode.

v Motorcycle user groups.v Parking, changing facilities and lockers.v Safer routes.v Security systems accessible to riders.

Rural commuting.Keith Sharples Photography.

Rider and pillion.BMF.

v Access to a wider human resource pool by expanding theavailability of accessible staff where public transportschedules are a constraint.

v Potential cost savings through taking control of transportexpenditure.

v Reduced on-site parking and congestion issues.v Improved access.This can reduce stress for both employees

and visitors. It may also improve the reliability and efficiencyof deliveries to and from the business.

v Improved morale.v Better relations with the local community.

For staff

3.3.2v Increased access to work and other opportunities.v Cost savings.v Time savings through reduced commuting time.v Employment accessible at times when public transport is

reduced.v Facilitating multi-purpose trips combined with the daily

commute.v Reduced stress and better quality of life.

To transport costs

3.3.3Motorcycles are a flexible and affordable alternative to theprivate car. Employees who ride a motorcycle usually haveconsiderably lower running costs.This can widen employmentopportunities by making reliable private commuter travel moreaccessible.

To the environment

3.3.4 In the UK CO2 emissions from road transport are the fastestgrowing contributor to climate change (DETR 1998).TheGovernment’s Advisory Group on Motorcycling “…concludes that[motorcycles], through lower energy requirements, use less fuel andemit far less CO2 than cars. In terms of pollutant emissions, theyemit less CO and are likely, from 2006/7, to be emitting less NOx,and about the same volume of hydrocarbons” (AGoM 2004).Encouraging more sustainable transport modes should be at theforefront of any Travel Plan. Fuel cell and electric motorcycles arebecoming available, and are more affordable than zero emissioncars.This is an area where increased take-up could yield emissionbenefits against all other modes, including public transport.

In reducing congestion

3.3.5 The majority of commuter vehicles used for journeys to andfrom work have only one occupant. Combined with their small“footprint” this means motorcycles:

v Are efficient in their use of road space, contributing towardsalleviating the increasing problem of congestion.Thesespace benefits are particularly evident at over-capacityjunctions.

v Require less parking space provision than four-wheeled


vehicles; as many as five motorcycles can be parked in asingle space designed for a family saloon (Chapter 5).

v Enable quicker journey times, often without the stress ofbeing held up in peak time traffic, which leads to individualand corporate congestion savings.

3.4 Incentive Schemes

3.4.1 A number of organisations have incentive schemes.These cantake on different forms to suit individual organisational needs. It ispossible to provide interest-free loans for up to £5000 to encouragethe use of smaller motorcycles. Loans can contribute towardspurchase and running costs and be paid back over a period of time,with mutual benefit to the employer and the employee.

Example 1:Orange - Bristol

3.4.2 Orange employees who travel to work by motorcycle can getinterest-free loans and are provided with secure covered parkingareas and places to change.

Example 2: Pfizer Ltd - Kent

3.4.3 Pfizer Ltd offers a motorcycle training scheme with interest-free loans for people who want to learn to ride a bike safely. Otherincentives can include payment of certain travel expenses.

Example 3: Gatwick Airport - Gatwick

3.4.4 Gatwick Airport set up a working group to examine safetyissues and surveyed employees who travelled by motorcycle toidentify the problems and concerns they encountered.The airporthas linked up with a rider training organisation to provide safetytraining for anyone who would like to use two-wheeled transport -whether they are new or experienced riders.

Example 4:Vodafone -West Berkshire

3.4.5 Vodaphone employees are given an allowance of £85 permonth to ride to work, and undercover parking spaces are providedfor them. Changing facilities and lockers are also available toemployees, along with the benefit of a motorcycle user group.

Example 5: GCHQ - Cheltenham

3.4.6 In September 2003, GCHQ moved to new headquarters whichreplaced more than 50 buildings in and around Cheltenham. Aspart of its Travel Plan GCHQ is encouraging more staff to use formsof transport other than the single occupancy car.The new site has15% less parking spaces. Although half of the organisation wasalready located in older buildings in the vicinity, the arrival of newstaff from the other side of town placed extra pressure on the localroad network. About 15% of its 4,500 staff cycle to work and at least5% use motorcycles - this is set to increase. In association withGloucestershire County Council, BikeSafe has been promoted at thesite and those cycling and motorcycling benefit from secure,preferential parking, lockers and showers and the option of an


interest-free loan to purchase machines and protective clothing. Allof this contributed to GCHQ winning the Ride to Work DayMotorcycle-Friendly Employer award in 2004.

Example 6: The“Wheels toWork” initiative

3.4.7 Countryside Agency supports the “Wheels to Work” (W2W), anincentive scheme designed to provide transport solutions to thosewho experience barriers to employment because of poor public orprivate transport.The initiatives provided can include a wide rangeof measures (CA 2002).

3.4.8 There are 55 W2W schemes operating throughout Englandthat offer the loan or rental of motorcycles.Most schemes areaimed at young people aged between 16 and 25 living in ruralareas, but some schemes are run for anyone above the age of 16. Acontribution of between £1 and £10 to the operation of themotorcycle is often made. All schemes provide compulsory basictraining (CBT), insurance and safety/protective equipment. Someoffer assistance with licence applications.The loan of themotorcycle usually lasts until the person has succeeded inobtaining their own transport - usually between 3 and 12 months.

3.4.9 Local authorities can lead the way by adopting similarschemes for existing or potential employees. For example,Aberdeen City Council offers loans for motorbike purchases and isformalising parking for motorcycles as part of its Travel Plan.

3.4.10 A ”toolkit” to assist local authorities in implementing aWheels to Work scheme has been produced.

3.5 Issues to Consider

Safety

3.5.1 Although the safety of individual riders is improving,motorcyclists still represent a high proportion of road casualties inrelation to their numbers. Health and safety law requires employersto be responsible for the safety and welfare of all employees, as faras is reasonably practicable. Employers who encourage motorcycleuse for business purposes should have a full and thorough riskassessment in place, which should be reviewed periodically toensure continued validity.This applies to all occupational road risks.It is important that employers consider risks to employees on theroad in the same way as those within the workplace.

3.5.2 Some organisations with Travel Plans in place offer training orfinancial assistance for training, as an employee incentive toencourage modal shift.

3.5.3 All novice riders must complete CBT. It is important toremember that the skills to operate a car are very different fromthose required to operate a motorcycle safely and appropriately.Raising awareness


Wheels to Work.MCIA.

3.5.4 Publicity and promotion are essential elements of activelyencouraging any change in commuter modes. Employers need tounderstand that once the infrastructure is completed and facilitiesare in place, their job in implementing the Travel Plan is notfinished.

3.5.5When establishing a Travel Plan it is important to raiseawareness of proposed changes and the effects that they may have.In the case of a shift to motorcycles, rider training is particularlyimportant. Provision of guidance for people new to motorcycling isessential.Where possible, advanced training should be offered tomore experienced users. It is important to ensure that anyone usinga motorcycle for work purposes is aware of the risk assessment andis informed about the engineering and technical standards thatcould better protect them.

3.5.6 Training should be to a high standard.The Department forTransport (DfT) and Driving Standards Agency (DSA) areintroducing more questions on the driving theory test designed toraise driver awareness of vulnerable road users includingmotorcyclists. The DfT are also raising awareness of motorcyclessharing the road space through their “Think!”website.This offersuseful information and a leaflet called Watch Out for Motorcyclists,available at:http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/motorcycles/motorcycles01.htm

3.6 Provision

3.6.1 Just as for cyclists, the use of motorcycles can be made moreattractive through the provision of suitable facilities. Increased useof motorcycles will require employers to cater for their needs in anumber of areas.

Accessibility

3.6.2 Employers should consider site accessibility when devising aTravel Plan. A real or perceived lack of safety can serve as adeterrent to modal shift. Barriers to easy site access may be busyroads, complicated junctions or carriageway features that aredifficult for motorcyclists to negotiate. Organisations shouldconsider providing local maps showing the best routes to site. Insome instances personalised journey plans could help those new tomotorcycling.

3.6.3 In a similar way to provision for bicycles, organisations onlarge sites should consider providing sign-posted routes toappropriate parking that are well lit and well maintained.

3.6.4 It is also necessary to review road-based site security systems,such as the use of lifting barriers and pass-cards. Such systems maynot have been designed with motorcyclists in mind - a pass card canbe hard to retrieve from a bulky protective jacket wearing ridinggloves. Access to the site should always be well lit, well surfaced andclear of carriageway hazards such as gravel or other debris.Safe and secure parking


3.6.5 Parking should be covered,well lit and equipped with suitablestands to which motorcycles can be secured. Parking formotorcycles should be located close to the entrance of a building,on level ground and not open to abuse by delivery vehicles or as adrop off point (Chapter 5). The use of space in non-traditional areasfor motor vehicles, for example otherwise unused space near theroad, has proved to be effective in some areas, and offers betterparking provision, space utilisation and security against theft.

Changing facilities and storage for safety equipment

3.6.6Motorcycle and bicycle riders need changing and showeringfacilities, and a drying room along with lockers for safe equipmentstorage. If the organisation pays corporation tax, it may be possibleto claim capital allowances for expenditure on plant and machinery,for example showering equipment, and the cost of providing poolmotorcycles. Claims against expenditure on construction orconversion of a building to house shower facilities are not presentlyallowable for tax relief.

Motorcycle user groups

3.6.7 Shared interest groups are useful for providing support forpotential motorcycle users, giving Travel Plan feedback andidentifying possible future improvements to Travel Plans. A usergroup can raise the profile of motorcycles as a viable means ofcommuter transport, identifying safe and efficient routes to theworkplace. It may be possible to negotiate discounted rates onclothing and equipment with local suppliers.

3.6.8 Vehicle maintenance is an important aspect of safety. Usergroups can hold maintenance clinics or liaise with local mechanicsto negotiate special rates for newcomers and regulars.


Efficient commuter parking. BMF.

4.1 Key Points

4.2 Context

4.2.1 Road designers and traffic engineers need to take intoconsideration the specific needs of motorcyclists. Some features,benign to other road users, can present a hazard to motorcycles.When considering engineering measures on existing roads it isrecommended that any accident data analysis is supplemented bycomments from a suitably qualified and experienced rider in orderto gain an understanding of real-life causation factors.

4.3 Road Design

Overview

4.3.1 It may be of value to the non-riding road designer to brieflyexplain how motorcycles are different:

v The consistency of grip between tyres and the road surfaceis critical to motorcycle stability, especially when leaningover for cornering or when braking or accelerating.

v Most braking effort and all steering control for a motorcycleis through the front tyre which means that riders avoidcombining braking and steering whenever possible toreduce the likelihood of overwhelming front tyre grip as itattempts to deal with conflicting forces. Any change in thisgrip, and in particular a sudden decrease, can lead to loss ofcontrol during the manoeuvre as the front wheel slides away.Loss of front tyre grip on a bend almost invariably leads to acrash.

v All accelerating force is through the small patch of the reartyre in contact with the road. A sudden lessening of the gripavailable, for example because of a surface change part-waythrough a bend, can cause the rear tyre to slip sideways andcause loss of control.

v Motorcycle riders adopt a different line through bends thandrivers of twin-track vehicles, traversing the width of the lanein order to maximise grip through minimising steering


CHAPTER 4 ROAD DESIGN ANDTRAFFIC ENGINEERING

4.1.1 Many of the current road design and traffic engineeringpractices are suitable for all road-user groups but the particulardynamic stability needs of the motorcycle need specialconsideration.

v Designers need to “think bike”.v Getting input from a suitably trained and experienced rider

to inform this thinking at an early stage and prevent theinadvertent inclusion of design features that increase therisk to riders.

v The relationship between the road andbraking/steering/accelerating on motorcycles needs to be adesign consideration.

v Using this understanding to pick up on good design points.v Exploring new possibilities by considering allowing

motorcycles into bus lanes and to use Advanced Stop Lines.

inputs.This keeps the machine as upright as possible, andmaximises forward visibility and safety. Anything that forcesriders to choose a less-than-optimum riding line through abend increases the risk of loss of control.

Surface grip and consistency

4.3.2v Motorcycles have a much greater need for a consistent and

high coefficient of friction from the road surface than twin-track vehicles, especially on wet surfaces and in areasrequiring braking and steering.

v Riders adopt an angle of lean to negotiate a corner that isrelated to speed and bend radius - any change in gripbetween tyres and surface can destabilise the machine.

v Any deviation from a consistently level surface in the sameareas can seriously impair the motorcycle’s road-holdingability.

v A sudden change in surface level rapidly loads and unloadsthe suspension, thus reducing the grip between front wheeland road surface. In other words, the wheel reboundsupwards and in severe cases can lose contact with thesurface.

v Unpredictable changes in the road environment that call forrapid deceleration or braking while cornering can cause themotorcycle to”sit-up” and take a tangential line away fromthe bend.

Bends

4.3.3 There is anecdotal evidence that riders who are losing controlof their machine on a bend tend to “fixate” on what seems to be theobject in their path most likely to hurt them - typically a tree orsignpost.The argument goes that, once this “target fixation” occurs,the rider will usually hit that object. Whether or not target fixation isa genuine phenomenon, research indicates that a significantpercentage of motorcycle fatalities (17% in GB in 2003) involvecollision with road side objects (unpublished DfT STATS19 data, seealso ATSB 2000, quoted in MCC 2002). Wherever possible, anyhighway furniture or signage should not be positioned on theoutside of bends, creating a “clear zone” in higher speed ruralsituations, to minimise this problem. Other options are:

v Site the signs back as far as possible; falling riders quicklylose speed on open verges (Fox et al 1979, quoted inVicRoads 2001).

v On right-hand bends with sufficient forward visibility,position the signs on the inside of the bend.

v A site-specific engineering solution was implemented byBuckinghamshire County Council on one particular bendwhere there had been three motorcyclist fatalities in fiveyears and a number of serious injuries, including car drivers.The principle behind the scheme is called “where you look iswhere you go”WYLIWYG and works on the basis that if youcan “hold” the rider’s/driver’s eye around a bend then theyare likely to successfully negotiate it. Filming of this andsimilar bends had indicated that chevron signs couldmisrepresent the radius of the bend, especially at night.


Motorcycle taking up position to leftfrom a right hand bend.Keith Sharples Photography.

Bends with street furniture in the “clearzone”.Keith Sharples Photography.

Where you look is where you go (after).Buckinghamshire County Council.

Where you look is where you go (before).Buckinghamshire County Council.

Hazard marker posts were positioned on the outer edge ofthe bend, at a closer spacing than normal, to concentrate therider’s eyes on the “vanishing point”.The owner of adjacentland removed bramble overgrowth so there was visibilityacross the inside of the bend.This low-cost measure appearsto have been successful, with no injury accidents more thantwo years after completion.

Visibility

4.3.4 Drivers often do not “see” motorcyclists because of therelatively small frontal area presented by their machines, thepresence of other road vehicles and roadside obstructions. Junctiondesign should ensure that drivers do not have their sight linesobscured.

Rural roads

4.3.5 The higher speed potential on rural roads, especially thosethat are attractive to leisure riders, means that many of the aspectscovered in this section have greater importance for casualtyreduction on these roads.

Safety barrier

4.3.6 Research in Australia has shown that the probability of afalling rider being killed doubles in a collision with safety barriersystems. Injuries were less severe from impact with the beam or theface of a concrete safety barrier system, compared to collisions withthe posts used in the system or the roadside posts being protectedby the safety barrier (Gibson and Benetatos 2000). Falling riders, asthey slide along the road surface, are most likely to be at risk ofadded injury from the unprotected barrier support posts andprojecting surfaces or by sliding underneath barriers (FEMA 2004).Riders often express concern at the perceived dangers of wire ropesafety fence, but the Government’s Advisory Group on Motorcyclingconcluded that this form of safety fence appears, from the limitedresearch completed so far, to be no more hazardous than othertypes of post-and-rail barrier. There is general agreement that moreresearch is required on the effects of different types of fence onfalling riders and on the posts that cause the most severe injuries toriders when they hit safety fence (AGoM 2004).

4.3.7.1 Pending further research it seems that retro-fitting impactmitigation measures to posts and some means of preventingdismounted riders from passing under rails would improvesecondary safety for falling riders in safety barrier collisions.TD19/06 Requirement for (Vehicle) Road Restraint Systems(DMRB Vol 2Sec 2) advices designers tthat "at high risk sites it is recommendedto use an 'add on' motorcycle protection system to post and railtype safety barrier to minimise the risk of injury to motorcyclists.

Priority junctions and roundabouts

4.3.8 Important considerations at priority junctions androundabouts are to optimise sight lines and provide good brakingsurfaces for all users.This will mitigate the problem of drivers not


Street furniture can obscure sightline toright, on exit from side road.Keith Sharples Photography.

Wire Rope Safety Fence and supportposts.Keith Sharples Photography.

responding to motorcyclists’ presence - even when the latter havepriority.The relatively small frontal aspect of motorcycles makes thisparticularly important. Low entry angles on roundaboutapproaches mean riders in the circulatory area can be obscured bythe central pillar on emerging cars. Entry angles that are too highcan lead to excessive speed on approach and tail-end collisions.Wide entries encourage drivers to pull up on the offside of the rider,especially if the latter is on a low-powered machine. Both of thesepotential problems are mitigated with entry angles between 30°and 40° and entry widths no greater than absolutely necessary -and these measures should also have the effect of reducing entryspeed. A balance will need to be struck between capacity andsafety.The positioning of street furniture and vegetation atjunctions is critical for good sight lines. A very high proportion ofcollisions between motorcycles and cars in urban situations are dueto emerging drivers failing to see the oncoming motorcycle.Thehigher speed of traffic on rural roads requires that designing foradequate sight lines is even more important.

Light Rapid Transit systems

4.3.9 The rails of on-street Light Rapid Transit (LRT) systems canhave a destabilising effect on motorcycles and cycles. Ongoingresearch at Nottingham University into the effects of traminfrastructure on cyclists is awaited. Discussion with recent LRTproviders indicates that flush rails with high-PSV surroundingsurfaces offer the best compromise between tram utility and thesafety of other road users, including riders of mopeds ormotorcycles. Seek out the experience of earlier LRT projects such asManchester, Sheffield, West Midlands, Nottingham and Croydon.

Design Points

4.3.10 To reduce the need for sudden variations in steering orbraking and to minimise the consequences of any loss of control,consider these points:

v Consistent horizontal alignment - for example avoidingbends that tighten after entry - minimises the need forchange of steering angle, and hence angle of lean, especiallyin a critical situation, such as a road surface compromised bywater, detritus or leaf fall. Chapter 8 deals with vertical andhorizontal alignment in the specific circumstances of trafficcalming. Chapter 9 looks at this issue in a Road Safety Auditcontext.

v Cross-sectional design consistent with the speed of the roadand the radius of the bends.This is more of a problem forroads that have”evolved” over time, rather than new-build,but adverse camber or inadequate super-elevation can be aproblem for all motor vehicles, but with worse consequencesfor motorcyclists.

v Wherever possible a motorcycle should be able to brake andstop while upright, travelling in a straight line and on aconsistent grip surface. Clear and adequate sight lines topedestrian crossing facilities minimises the need for last


Motorcycle on roundabout with narrowentries.Keith Sharples Photography.

Approaching a pedestrian crossing.Keith Sharples Photography.

minute reactive behaviour.This means keeping formalcrossing facilities away from bends where possible andwhere pedestrian desire lines permit.

v Consistent skid resistance, including that of extra surfacefeatures, such as coloured patches.This is especiallyimportant on bends, given the rider’s need to vary positionacross the lane to maximise safety and provide maximumforward visibility.

v Use high friction surfacing at junctions with a history ofdrivers emerging against priority into the path ofmotorcyclists. This maximises the rider’s chances of brakingsafely.

v Terminate high friction surfacing on straight sections.Sudden changes in road surface properties on bends and atjunctions, especially skid resistance, can lead to stabilityproblems as the rider tries to cope with the sudden changein the dynamics and response of the motorcycle.

v Avoid using different surfaces, for example granite setts, toemphasise a change in circumstances, at turning points suchas priority junctions and small roundabouts wheremotorcycles may be destabilised by their use.

v Thermoplastic markings rarely have the same skid resistanceproperties of the surrounding road and their skid resistancedeteriorates faster than the road surfacing. Arrows anddestination markings on bends or roundabouts are ofconcern to riders as the motorcycle may be leaning over ormay be accelerating or braking. Consistent and informativeadvance warning and direction signs should minimise theneed for such surface signing. Careful thought should begiven before using large areas of hatching.

v Specifications for and positioning of in-road and roadsidefurniture, including impact characteristics when struck by afallen or sliding body.The principle should be to minimisethe number of obstacles, especially on higher speed bends,and to use supports that do not shear off leaving jagged orsharp remnants or that have protrusions that could snag afallen rider. On higher speed roads consideration must alsobe given to the swept path of the rider leaning into bends,something that is not of concern for twin track vehicles.

v Gentle changes in vertical alignment to minimise potentialfor loss of tyre adhesion and to optimise drainage, both ofwhich have a greater effect on motorcycles than on twintrack vehicles.

v Allow for the higher eye level of riders when positioningstreet furniture or planting vegetation, especially atjunctions. Consider the full growth of trees and shrubs, alongwith leaf fall characteristics and maintenance.

v Where it is absolutely necessary to use kerbs in rural areas,


Avoid thermoplastic marking on bends.Keith Sharples Photography.

Poor road surface on approach to trafficcalming.Keith Sharples Photography.

use battered kerbing to minimise potential injury to a slidingbody.

v When redesigning an existing layout consider the positionand level of utility covers, especially on bends and withinbraking or steering areas. Avoid forcing riders to over-runthem whenever possible. If it is unavoidable, use covers witha skid resistance similar to the surrounding road surface.

v Consistent signing along a route so that rider expectationsare met.This links to the concept of ‘self-explaining roads’,where the level of signing and marking is proportionate tothe severity of the hazard and this proportion is the samealong the whole route. If the road can “deceive” thenwarnings are required - a tightening radius or a horizontaldeviation immediately over a crest are examples whereadvanced warning is appropriate.

v Consider the role that probable future levels of maintenanceof the design may have on continued safety. Avoid includingdesign features that require higher levels of maintenancethan the road is realistically going to receive, which could inturn lead to future safety problems.

4.4 Traffic Engineering

Shared use of Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs)

4.4.1 The use of Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs) for cyclists at signaljunctions is now widespread.They are intended to provide a safelocation for waiting cyclists, especially those wishing to make aright turn at a junction.The Traffic Signs Regulations and GeneralDirections (2002) (DfT 2002) clarified the legal position of such ASLsmaking it an offence for other vehicles to cross the first stop lineand wait in the reservoir between the stop lines, except if unable tostop safely otherwise.

4.4.2 The shared use of specifically designed ASLs by cyclists andmotorcyclists could provide similar benefits to motorcyclists asthose experienced by cyclists:

v They offer a head start over other traffic, reducing thepotential for conflict especially where turning movementsare possible.

v They allow motorcycles to be visible away from and in frontof other traffic.

4.4.3 There is an obvious potential safety benefit to cycliststhemselves. Motorcycles are generally capable of greateracceleration than other motor vehicles; the risk of conflict is thatmuch greater if motorcycles are placed directly behind them.

4.4.4 However, cycling representatives have raised concerns,arguing that the shared use of ASLs would detract from theconvenience and safety of making a trip by bicycle and that thefacilities would no longer be being used for the purpose for whichthey were intended.This implies that motorcyclists are lessvulnerable than cyclists and do not need priority measures. Such


Added warning of hazardous bend.Keith Sharples Photography.

Shared use of an ASL.MCIA.

Poorly located utility cover.Keith Sharples Photography.

concerns led to trials in the London Borough of Newham of shareduse of ASLs.These trials, monitored by the Transport ResearchLaboratory (TRL), have included attitudinal surveys both before theinstallation of the facilities and after, and a video survey.The surveysshowed significant illegal use of ASLs by a range of vehiclesincluding motorcycles. Conflict between pedal cycles andmotorcycles was not identified as a problem although the trial sitesonly provide a limited range of conditions and there were few rightturning manoeuvres.

4.4.5 The trials have highlighted a number of design issuesregarding the shared use of ASLs, especially the provision ofseparate filter lanes for motorcycles providing direct access to theprotected area.There were particular concerns with motorcyclistsrejoining other traffic as the signals change.The early results of theselimited trials have been encouraging (Tilly, A & Huggins, P 2003):

v Before the trial of the shared use of ASLs a majority ofmotorcyclists (77%) and cyclists (51%) were supportive ofmotorcyclists using ASLs.

v After implementation 73% of motorcyclists thought thelayout was an improvement along with 48% of cyclists.

v 80% of cyclists surveyed thought that the layout was betteror unchanged and only 5% believed it had become worse.

v Across all sites the number using the new ASL filter lane“after” was greater than the number that filtered on theoutside “before”.

v The number of motorcyclists filtering between the nearsidekerb and queuing traffic fell from 13% to 6%.

v There was no change in the number of cyclists managing toreach the front of the traffic queue.

v The percentage of motorcyclists managing to reach the frontof the traffic queue rose from 40% ‘before’ to 53% ‘after’.

v Conflict between motorcyclists and cyclists did not arise.v Overcrowding was not an issue.v Motorcyclists would tend to wait on the right hand side of

the ASL reservoir, cyclists on the left. Conflict could arise,however, between left turning motorcyclists and rightturning cyclists. This was not an issue as the majority ofmovements were straight ahead.

4.4.6 In view of the limited number of trial sites included in thisstudy and the limitations on layout and traffic mix, there is a clearneed for further trial sites, with local authorities being encouragedto apply for trial sites in their areas. In doing so the following pointsshould be considered:

v A consistent approach should be adopted on a route so thatboth cyclists and motorcyclists know they share the facilityand so that drivers will expect motorcyclists to filter to theASL.

v Motorcyclists are more likely than cyclists to access thefeature from other than the nearside position. Access fromthe offside is feasible, given appropriate signing to inform alldrivers and riders.The positioning of road-centre streetfurniture needs careful consideration in order to avoid lastminute steering/braking corrections from riders.

v Adequate and prominent advance signing is needed to alertboth riders and drivers of the facility.


v Supplementary surface signing should be used sparingly -previous advice above about surface treatment and roadmarkings is relevant.

v All non-standard signs and markings require specialauthorisation from the appropriate authority.

Shared use of bus lanes

4.4.7 In the present situation, a typical urban road layout with a buslane and a single all-purpose lane, during congested periodsmotorcyclists use the legal manoeuvre of “filtering” or passing tothe right of stationary traffic. This presents three possible hazards:

v Potential conflict with oncoming traffic.v The risk of colliding with the opening door of an inattentive

car driver or passenger if the rider tries to reduce the aboverisk by keeping close to stationary traffic. Car occupantsoften use stationary periods in traffic to drop off passengers,check the vehicle and so on.

v Potential conflict with pedestrians crossing throughstationary traffic. Many pedestrians, having crossed an emptybus lane and a stationary traffic lane, assume their nexthazard is traffic from the other direction, and do not look forfiltering motorcycles.

4.4.8 Therefore the possible safety benefits of allowing motorcyclesinto bus lanes can be summarised as:

v Eliminating the potential for conflict with oncoming trafficwhile the rider is using the bus lane.

v Reducing the potential for conflict between motorcycles andother traffic. Even if a car occupant opens a door on thenearside, they are more likely to check for permitted vehiclesin the bus lane and in any case the motorcycle is likely to bein the centre of the bus lane, not close to the stationary traffic.

v Reducing the potential for conflict with pedestrians becausethey will check for permitted vehicles before crossing thebus lane.

4.4.9.1 Bus lane access by motorcyclists was first granted by AvonCounty Council in Bristol in the mid-1990s. Since then an increasingnumber of local authorities have allowed the shared use of buslanes by cyclists, taxis and motorcycles. In 2007 The DfT produced aTraffic Advisory Leaflet~ TAL 2/07 The use of Bus Lanes byMotorcycles.This revised the previous advice contained in KeepingBuses Moving (DETR 1997), against motorcycles normally beingallowed into bus lanes and now recommends that local authoritiesconsider such access.

4.4.9.2 Signs permitting the use of bus lanes by motorcycles arenot allowed without specific authorisation. Department forTransport (DfT) working drawings NP 958.4 and 959.4 give signdesign details and special authorisation for signs will continue to berequired until the additional variants are prescribed in any updateto TSRGD".

4.4.10 Proposals to introduce shared-use bus lanes will often bemet by objections.The arguments usually revolve around conflictswith cyclists, who are usually permitted to use bus lanes, and to a


Shared use of a bus lane.MCIA.

lesser extent reduction in benefits to buses. Concerns may also beraised over possible conflicts with pedestrians. For cyclists theconcern would seem to stem from the differential speeds ofbicycles and motorcycles; the smaller frontal profile of motorcycles,especially compared to buses, and the higher levels of traffic in buslanes giving rise to at least the perception of greater risk and a lessattractive cycling environment. For pedestrians, higher speeds andlower conspicuity underlie perceived safety concerns.4.4.11 Experience of shared-use bus lanes in Bristol andsubsequent trials by Transport for London (TfL) would seem toindicate that shared use of bus lanes can be introduced with littleor no detrimental effect for other road users (TfL 2004). Interim datafrom these trials indicates:

v Reductions in motorcycle accidents between 0% and 31% atthe trial sites, with no increase in overall accidents at any site.

v Reductions in motorcycles using general traffic lanes ofbetween 31% and 40% at the trial sites.There was noadverse effect on bus journey times.

v In surveys 44% of cyclists reported that collisions and nearmisses they experienced when using bus lanes involved cars- this increased by 1% during the trial, and compared with3% involving motorcycles, which again increased by 1%during the trial. The number of cars illegally using bus lanesfell during the trial, probably due to increased enforcement.

4.4.12 The work has taken place against a background of theintroduction of the London Congestion Charge, which has lead toan increase in motorcycles within the charge zone, along with areduction in motorcycle accidents (TfL 2003).The Government’sMotorcycle Strategy recognises that “although these studies have notfinally concluded, the evidence so far suggests that there are noapparent safety disbenefits from allowing motorcycles to use buslanes” and DfT will include consideration of the position onmotorcycles as part of the review of LTN 1/97 in the light of theresults of the research.

Road markings

4.4.13 The use of road markings needs careful consideration,especially within steering or braking zones. Used inappropriatelythey can force riders off the safest line, or if poorly designed or laidthey can collect and divert water, adding to the problem ofproviding consistent grip.The reduction in skid resistance over timeor in wet conditions causes problems for motorcyclists. Directionarrows and destination markings are of particular concern. Oftenthey are used on bends when, if they are needed at all, they couldbe better placed in an advanced position on a straight section ofthe road. Also they are likely to be re-laid on maintenanceschedules, leading to layering and a significant up-stand from thesurrounding surface; most road markings over 6mm in height areillegal with few exceptions, for example mini-roundabout domes.Blacking-out redundant markings rather than burning or planingthem off creates a higher up-stand with the added hazard ofreduced skid resistance. In general, well positioned roadside


5.1 Key Points

5.2 Context

5.2.1 Parking provision is an important tool in local transportpolicies as well as traffic management and crime reduction. It is alsoa fundamental requirement for any motorcycle user. Motorcycleparking can be provided on-street or off-street, in surface parkingor multi-storey parking, by commercial site operators, localauthorities, employers, retailers and colleges.

Demand

5.2.2 The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Compendium ofMotorcycle Statistics shows that over the ten years since 1994, thetotal distance travelled by motorcycles grew 47% to 5.6 billionkilometres, while the number of motorcycles in use grew 57% toreach 1.52 million in 2003 - this represents around 5% of all motorvehicles (DfT 2004).

5.2.3 As motorcycling continues to grow, demand for parking hasoutstripped supply in many cases, especially during peak periods. Arecent study of the London Congestion Charging area for Transportfor London (TfL) found motorcycle on-street parking occupancy tobe 33% over-capacity (Tilly 2004).

Crime reduction

5.2.4 Motorcycles are generally attractive to thieves because oftheir relatively low-weight and high-value. Motorcycle theft is oftenopportunistic and takes place in public places. Theft rates aregenerally highest in urban areas; police forces covering large urbanareas record around three times the rate of theft (per thousandmotorcycles) found in more rural areas. The City of London andMetropolitan police force areas have the two highest rates ofmotorcycle theft in England and Wales (Braun 2003). It is worthnoting that just 7% of on-street parking in the TfL survey wasequipped with anchor points (Tilly 2004).

5.2.5 Motorcycle theft is a continuing concern for riders, police,parking providers and insurers. Examples of constructive actioninclude;“Lock It or Lose It” security awareness campaigning,“SoldSecure” and “Thatcham” product testing and rating standards, andthe “Park Mark: Safer Parking Award” for operators aiming to protectcustomers and vehicles. The “Park Mark™” sign may be used ontraffic signs but DfT authorisation is required.


CHAPTER 5 MOTORCYCLE PARKING

Demand exceeds supply.MCIA.

Park Mark sign.Park Mark.

5.1.1❖ Motorcycling has grown to around 5% of motor vehicles in

use.❖ Motorcycle theft has also grown, approximately 37,000

machines per year.❖ National policy and enabling regulations are firmly in place.❖ Local demand can be difficult to assess, but relatively

straightforward to satisfy.❖ Effective motorcycle parking is”Near and Clear, Secure and

Safe to use”.

5.2.6 An estimated 37,000 machines were reported stolen in 2000.The highest levels of theft are seen among the most popularmachines. Mopeds and small motorcycles (typically 125cc learnermachines) suffer theft rates around 50 per thousand registered,with 600cc and 1,000cc machines recording rates in excess of 10per thousand (Braun 2003)

Policy background

5.2.7 Prior to the development of Local Transport Plan (LTP)guidance, there was little national recognition of the need toprovide for motorcycle users - other than the general requirementunder the Road Traffic Acts to provide a safe and efficient highwaynetwork for all road users. The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 wasamended in 2000 to extend local authority powers to providedevices for securing motorcycles and the Traffic Signs Regulationsand General Directions (TSRGD), revised in 2002, provide specificsigns and markings for bays. Details are contained in the TrafficAdvisory Leaflet TAL 2/02 Motorcycle Parking (DfT 2002).

5.2.8 The policy impetus for motorcycle parking provision is clearlystated in DfT guidance on LTPs and, following therecommendations of the Government Advisory Group onMotorcycling, through the development of a National MotorcycleStrategy (AGoM 2004).

5.2.9 PPG13: Transport advises local authorities to considerappropriate provision for motorcycle parking, with additionalspecific consideration of providing attractive motorcycle parking atPark and Ride sites (DTLR 1994). How many parking opportunitiesshould be available, where to locate them, the level of security tobuild-in, how to deal with accessibility issues and funding, willobviously vary from case-to-case.

5.3 Assessing Demand

5.3.1 Motorcycle use is characterised both by its flexibility andseasonality, so demand for parking and the most appropriatemeans of meeting that demand can be difficult to assess.

5.3.2 As noted in TAL 2/02, few authorities base motorcycle parkingdecisions on specific data for motorcycle movements. Although thismay be available from classified traffic counts or origin anddestination surveys there is unlikely to be a large body of data towork from. Traffic accumulation surveys based on existing trafficcounts depend on the ability of automatic traffic counters todiscriminate motorcycles, whilst the results from occasional manualcounts may be sensitive to random variations given the relativelylow volume of motorcycles in many areas.

5.3.3 Unsolicited user requests and opportunistic inclusion in othertraffic schemes or development works seem to be the mostcommon method of provision. Some authorities and otherorganisations have taken a more pro-active approach by seekingusers’ suggestions, often through a motorcycle forum (see Chapter2). Understanding the nature of motorcycle use in an area isessential to making good use of parking resources.


On-street parking bay.MCIA.

5.3.4 Indications of the potential for and dynamics of motorcycleparking demand can be taken from national data contained in theDfT’s Compendium of Motorcycle Statistics (DfT 2004):

❖ Mid-year estimates for 2003 show 1.52 million motorcycles inuse, around 5% of all motor vehicles.

❖ National Travel Survey data for the period 1996-2003 show72% of motorcycle journeys are conducted for work,business, education or shopping.

❖ Motorcycle parking patterns vary according to season andweather conditions, activity between November and Marchbeing around 40% lower than average.

❖ During favourable weather, individual riders will travel farmore frequently than the annualised average of 8.3 trips perweek - perhaps closer to the average car driver frequency(16.8 per week).

5.3.5 Locations at and around educational establishments andworkplaces, within or surrounding shopping andentertainment/leisure areas, at transport interchanges, or withinresidential areas lacking private parking opportunities will thereforebe in demand.

5.3.6 As with general growth in leisure use among all modes,leisure use by motorcyclists often involves attending evening orweekend events - often motorcycling-related. Some locations,especially if leisure use is the main attractor, will thereforeexperience high demand for parking at weekends. Other locationswill experience high demand during general business hours, butmay see far lower demand for evening leisure and shift work.

5.3.7 Look out for clear signals of under-supply: illegal orinappropriate parking, machines secured to street furniture,unauthorised use of cycle parking, overflow at motorcycle parkingbays, obstruction to traffic, and complaints from residents,businesses or riders. It will be important to survey a wide range oflocations and at appropriate times to get a meaningful picture.


Parking outside college.MCIA.

Poor provision will lead to informal or inappropriate parking.

5.4 Motorcycle Rider Parking Behaviour andRequirements

5.4.1 In terms of convenience, flexibility and securityconsiderations, motorcycles are often more like bicycles than cars.Consequently, the behaviour and requirements of motorcyclistsoften follow the cycle parking model with motorcyclists looking forsimilar features. Motorcycle riders will look for obvious parkingopportunities close to their destination, choosing convenientplaces, ideally where they can secure their machine to somethingimmovable, or where they can see or stay close to their machine orat the very least where it is likely to receive maximum casualobservation so the risk of theft can be minimised. A distance of 20metres is desirable and facilities more than 50 metres from thedestination will compete with unofficial opportunities closer tohand.

5.4.2 Covered off-street parking is desirable. This offers protectionfrom the elements and other causes of inconvenience or damage toparked motorcycles - tree debris, sap and bird waste. Manymotorcycles do not have large load spaces that can be secured, soriders value the provision of secure places to stow cumbersome andexpensive riding equipment such as protective helmets andclothing. Riders have less opportunity to carry food or drink soaccess to litter bins and vending machines is also worth considering.

5.4.3 Clearly-signed, convenient and secure parking reduces theattraction of informal parking. On the other hand inadequateprovision will lead to exploitation of inappropriate opportunitieswhich may result in motorcycles causing a genuine obstruction orhazard to others. Marginal areas, especially those already utilised byriders, can be formalised using relatively low-cost measures toprotect parked machines and other road users.

5.4.4 Motorcycle parking within multi-storey car parks is bestprovided as a dedicated area within sight of attendants ideally onthe ground floor at or near the entrance/exit in order to avoid usingthe ramps and circulation areas.

5.4.5 Good practice in motorcycle parking can be summarised as“Near and Clear, Secure and Safe to use”:

❖ Near: Motorcycle users will naturally look for parkingopportunities close to their destination, simply because therelatively small size and high flexibility of the motorcycleallows easy progress through traffic and exploitation ofmarginal parking opportunities without causing obstruction.

❖ Clear: Any difficulty in finding a suitable formal parking areawill tend to reduce the advantages of motorcycle use.Signing from main routes and on-site is important so riderscan find formal facilities. TAL 2/02 explains the provisions formaking orders and for signing.

❖ Secure: Physical security measures will be a strong attractorfor most riders needing to park for more than a few minutes.Casual users, motorcycle tourists and others unfamiliar withthe area are likely to find the prospect of secure parking veryattractive.


Covered parking.MCIA.

Above and below:Marginal area converted to formalparking.MCIA.

❖ Safe to use: Personal safety considerations when using aparking area start with the surface on which the machinehas to be manoeuvred and mounted/dismounted, as well asseclusion, lighting, CCTV coverage and the amount ofpassing pedestrian traffic.

5.5 Identifying Motorcycle Parking Resources

5.5.1 It is good practice to maintain a definitive map showing allcurrent public motorcycle parking locations, linked to data listingtheir dimensions, capacity, and security provisions within eachauthority. Identifying the number, location and type of existingspaces is essential for objective planning and management, butcould also form the basis of information for motorcycle users - forexample a leaflet or web page including a map and useful contactdetails.

5.5.2 Motorcycle parking capacity is a function of the size of bayand size of machines that might be expected to use it. On-streetmotorcycle parking bays follow a similar lay-out to car parking bays,ranging in depth from 1800 to 2700mm (length varying accordingto circumstances) but with the motorcycles parked at right anglesto the kerb rather than parallel. Motorcycle parking bays aregenerally not marked out for individual machines, allowing flexibleand efficient use of limited space by machines of different sizes.Motorcycles range in length from around 1900mm for a moped to2500mm for a large cruiser. In practice the manner of parkingmeans that even the largest machines should be capable of parkingacross a 2100mm bay without encroaching into the carriageway.

5.5.3 It is the effective width of a motorcycle and the need forsufficient space to mount/dismount from the side which willdetermine the usable area. Allowing for handlebars, mirrors or fixedluggage most machines range from 700-1000mm wide, although inpractice most machines are parked with handlebars turned to thelocked position which also reduces both width and length. With anominal 600mm needed to mount/dismount, this suggests an


Near, clear, safe to use.MCIA.

Parking bay. MCIA.

Examples of parking bay use.MCIA.

average effective width of around 1400mm per machine. Wherethere is a significant usage by smaller or larger machines this figurecan be altered to suit.

5.5.4 These figures can serve as a guide to the total area needed tomeet motorcycle parking demand, or as an indicator of capacity forexisting or proposed facilities. Yet, where parking capacity isinsufficient to meet demand, riders will try to fit into the availablespace. In the most extreme cases riders will manoeuvre machines sothat there is no space on either side. Such informal parking makesfor the most efficient use of space but it may not be possible forsome riders to safely contend with this and damage or injury mayresult.

5.5.5 Parking occupancy and duration can only be reliably assessedby manual surveys, with observation frequency increased whereshort-term parking is common. Linking observations of time andmachines present (including informal parking activity) to data onthe dimensions of bays and motorcycles allows an objectivejudgement of how well demand is balanced against supply atdifferent times and locations. Other information can be collected atthe same time to help identify where security anchor points arerequired. The use of chains or other devices by riders will be readilyapparent and these devices work best when securing a machine toa fixed anchor.

5.5.6 Motorcycle parking surveys can be split into three distinctfunctions:

❖ To create or update a motorcycle parking inventory -essential data will include location, dimensions (includingcapacity) and the presence of security features.

❖ To audit the quality and characteristics of a facility - surfaces,signs and road markings, anchor points, CCTV, lighting,apparent hazards, obstructions and other points needingattention.

❖ To investigate the characteristics of motorcycle usage -occupancy levels and duration, by day-of-week, time of year,weather conditions, extent and type security being used, thecharacteristics of riders (by interview) and/or their machines(by observation or interview).

5.5.7 Wider consultation with users and other interested parties islikely to produce better solutions by identifying unresolved issuesand stimulating dialogue to resolve them. Some local authoritiesbenefit from a regular motorcycle forum, or at least approachmotorcycle representatives through more general transportconsultation channels.

5.6 Practical Design Issues

5.6.1 A simple checklist of design considerations is included withthese guidelines, but some practical design issues surroundingtheft-reduction and personal safety deserve closer discussion.


Wheels turned to park.MCIA.

Overcrowding.MCIA.

Security

5.6.2 Physical security need not be difficult or expensive to provide.Fixed and robust features such as rails, hoops or posts designed toprovide a simple locking-point to secure a motorcycle using a chainor similar device should be an early consideration for any parkingscheme. Dedicated CCTV may not be affordable or appropriate formany parking areas, although choosing locations that fall withinalready monitored areas may well be feasible.

5.6.3 A range of suitable designs exist for security anchors ofvarying sophistication. Where motorcycles are parked in bays withone wheel against the kerb, a simple continuous steel rail satisfiesmost situations. It has the advantage of being easily andinexpensively sourced and installed with overall costs similar to thatfor providing an equivalent amount of cycle parking.

5.6.4 The continuous rail allows for efficient use by machines ofvarying style and size, is well understood by users and is compatiblewith most types of shackling devices. The rail should be set ataround 600mm above surface to accommodate the range of wheelsizes in use. The addition of a waist-height upper rail, or mountingto a wall as appropriate, prevents a tripping hazard.

5.6.5 Other designs, such as posts with captive chains (with orwithout a captive lock) have the advantage of assisting riders whodo not carry a chain or locking device capable of securing theirmachine to fixed object.

5.6.6 Flush-mounted locking rings set into the floor or carriagewaymay not be obtrusive, but can be difficult or unattractive to users;they allow the mounting surface to be used as a levering point tobreak locks, are subject to debris and rain water, whilst movingparts can suffer wear and tear. They may also present a trip hazardand consideration should be given to injury risks, for example tovisually-impaired pedestrians.

5.6.7 Generally speaking, sophisticated designs, with moving partsand locking mechanisms are more expensive to provide andmaintain. Offsetting these costs by charging for secure parking isdifficult to implement successfully. Simple ticket-based pay anddisplay methods do not work well with motorcycles as there isnowhere to put the ticket securely on current designs ofmotorcycle. Pay and display and meter-based systems have theadded disadvantage of alerting thieves to the likely time before arider will return to their motorcycle.

Safety

5.6.8 This includes safety issues arising from the actual process ofmanoeuvring a motorcycle whilst parking, but also broader issuesof personal safety at or around the parking place.

5.6.9 Motorcycle parking areas should have limited gradients toenable easy manoeuvrability and to ensure the motorcycle isunlikely to topple over. Parking areas must also be well drained andfree of debris or contamination that might cause a manoeuvring


Low continuous rail.MCIA.

Low continuous rail as part of pedestrianguard rail.MCIA

rider to lose their footing. Surfaces should offer good grip for feetand tyres.

5.6.10 European law requires all motorcycles to have at least onedevice able to maintain the machine in a vertical, or near vertical,parking position when left unattended. There are two main types ofthese devices:

❖ The “prop stand” provides a triangulating point of contact,along with the front and rear tyres, such that the vehicleleans to the left. Riders will generally use the “prop stand” forease and convenience, or where parking on a camber.

❖ The “centre stand” provides two centrally positionedtriangulating points such that the machine rests vertically,often with one wheel lifted from the floor. This usuallyrequires more effort from the rider and is often less stableunless the parking area is level.

5.6.11 In each case the motorcycle will generally be parked with itssteering locked in a left turn position.

5.6.12 Based on EU regulations for motorcycle stand performance,surface slope angles should be less than 5 degrees (EC 1993).Figures 1a and 1b demonstrate the extremes of motorcycle standperformance against a transverse tilt, while Figure 2 shows theeffect of longitudinal tilt (both upstream and downstream).

5.6.13 As motorcycles are not fitted with a parking brake, the ridermust be able to position their machine so that it cannot rollforward under its own weight and fall over. Therefore, where theground is not level, riders will try to park so that the weight of themachine is working with the direction of the stand, usually with onewheel touching the kerb. In such cases, there must be sufficientspace and visibility to manoeuvre the machine in and out ofposition safely. Even without a reverse gear, motorcycles are in mostrespects more manoeuvrable than larger vehicles and can copewith situations considered unsuitable for parking cars.

5.6.14 Parking areas must have a firm surface capable ofsupporting the weight of a motorcycle through its stand. Thefootprint of the stand might typically measure 10cm2 and carry aload of 10kg per cm2. The surface of the parking area must becapable of withstanding penetration by the stand. In the case ofbitumen-based surfaces, care should be taken to ensure the surfaceremains solid during hot weather.

5.6.15 Sufficient space and visibility for riders must be present toallow manoeuvring without significant risk of conflict with otherroad users. On-street parking should not be positioned so thatriders are tempted to use footways in order to access it. Localauthorities should also ensure safe and legitimate means of accessto off-street parking, even where access is from the road ontoprivate land.

5.6.16 Sites should be well lit and not located in secluded areas.Instead, designs should provide light, open spaces, without highwalls or dense planting to provide cover for thieves.


Figure 1a.InterRegs.

Figure 2.InterRegs.

Figure 1b.InterRegs.

5.7 Parking Standards and Dimensions

Parking standards

5.7.1 PPG13: Transport does not set specific standards formotorcycle parking, but many local authorities have published theirown local motorcycle parking standards and guidance, and theseare typically based on a proportion of car capacity (up to 5%) with aminimum provision (one or two spaces). The Motorcycle IndustryAssociation (MCIA) has called for 5% of all publicly accessibleparking spaces to be set aside for motorcycle use (MCIA 2001).

5.7.2 The British Motorcyclists’ Federation (BMF) suggests minimummotorcycle parking standards for different types of development intheir guidance notes:

5.7.3 TAL 2/02 Motorcycle Parking links journey purposes to lengthof stay:

5.7.4 In addition to indicating likely uses, it is also possible tosuggest other attributes of motorcycle parking that might vary withlength of stay. Broadly speaking, for short visits close proximity todestination will probably be the primary consideration, althougheven for short periods anchor points are desirable to reduce the riskof theft. For any visit longer than 30 minutes, while proximityremains important in the rider’s choice of parking place, securityfeatures such as anchor points, regular monitoring and limitedopportunity for theft by van will increase in desirability. Protectionfrom weather and passing traffic also becomes more desirable forlonger term parking.


Description of Land Use Minimum MotorcycleParking Standard

Camping Sites 1/4 Staff, 1/10 PitchesMarinas 1/4 MooringsCar Parks 1/10 Parking SpacesPark and Ride Sites 1/10 Parking SpacesRail Stations 10/Morning Peak ServiceBus Stations 4/1 Bus BayKey Bus Stops 4/StopHospitals 1/4 Staff, 1/20 BedsSource: BMF.

Length of Stay Typical Uses<30 minutes Shopping

Dropping passengers offDelivery

30 minutes - 1 hour ShoppingLeisurePersonal business

1-3 hours ShoppingEmploymentLeisure

4 or more hours ShoppingEmploymentRail or Bus useEducation

Source: DfT TAL 2/02

Motorcycles - indicative dimensions

5.7.5 Motorcycle length and width dimensions are generallyreduced when parked, as the front wheel will be turned to a lockedposition. It is this effective length and width that generally applies.

5.7.6 Further information about dimensions, layouts and signing isdrawn together in A Guide to the Design and Provision of SecureParking for Motorcycles, available from the Motorcycle Action Groupwebsite.

5.7.7 A further consideration is that of disabled riders. The range ofdifficulties faced by disabled riders will be similar to those usingother modes and the British Parking Association (BPA) suggestsprovision for disabled riders should also be provided by way ofspecial marked-out bays of increased size. Any rider experiencingreduced mobility and strength will benefit from extra room toposition themselves to the side of the bike when manoeuvring ormounting. As the population ages, stiffness and reduced range ofmovement may well make this a more common issue.


Effective Effective WeightLength mm Width mm kg

Moped 1600 650 85Middle-weight 1900 800 230Motorcycle/ScooterLarge Motorcycle 2300 900 35095%ile (estimated) 2000 800 260

Source: MCIA

6.1 Key Points

6.2 Context

6.2.1Many of the problems faced by road users have root causesthat can be traced back to decisions made at an early stage in theprocess of infrastructure provision. Basic policy decisions can have apowerful influence on the kind of road environment people have todeal with. At a more obvious level, design-stage decisions can haveimmediate impact on the road environment and lead to roadinfrastructure that causes difficulties for some road users. Solutionslie in expanding the knowledge base so policy makers anddesigners are better informed to make better decisions in thefuture.Much of this document focuses on providing policy makersand designers with better information on the needs andvulnerabilities of motorcyclists, but motorcycling is arguably morevulnerable than most to the possible shortcomings of anotherelement of infrastructure provision: road maintenance.

6.3 Road Maintenance

General

6.3.1 A good quality surface gives a safer,more pleasant experiencefor all road users; it is an essential requirement for motorcyclists.Factors affecting motorcyclists include: skid resistance, surfacecontamination and debris, drainage gullies, service covers, roadmarkings and road studs. Over-banding materials with low wetskidding resistance and poor reinstatement works are commoncauses of problems for motorcyclists. A focus on plannedmaintenance that accounts for the needs of motorcyclists willalways be more desirable than even the best reactive faultreporting system.


CHAPTER 6 ROADMAINTENANCE

6.1.1 It is clear from other chapters of this guidance that policychanges and design improvements can make a big difference tomotorcyclists’ experience and safety when using the road network.However, the role of the maintenance engineer is critical to thismode of travel:

v In providing a consistent road surface with suitable skid-resistance.

v In keeping roads clear of contamination and debris.v In maintaining visibility, especially at bends and junctions.v In ensuring best practice in maintaining road signs, roadstuds and markings.

v In setting up efficient, well-publicised systems so thatmembers of the public can report road defects that receiveprompt attention.

v In implementing maintenance policies that focus onpreventative action.

v In designing winter maintenance regimes that keep theneeds of riders in mind.

v In ensuring that road works are safe for all road users.

Pavement condition surveys and skid resistance

6.3.2 The development of the TRACS (Traffic speed RoadAssessment Condition Survey) network condition monitoringequipment used on trunk roads into the Surface ConditionAssessment of the National Network of Roads (SCANNER)specification will mean changes to the systems and methods usedto monitor local roads in England. Scotland already has a system -Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey (SRMCS) andWalesand Northern Ireland are co-operating with the developmentprocess to aim for a consistent approach in all four countries(Wilmington and Gallagher 2004). One of the capabilities of thesystem is to assess surface texture. It is hoped that the outputs fromthese systems will, among other things, enable maintenanceengineers to target more efficiently their other tools to monitorroad condition, including SCRIM (Sideways force Coefficient RoutineInvestigation Machine).

6.3.3 The current standards for monitoring the skid resistance ofroad surfaces using the SCRIM procedure appear to be adequate formotorcycle interests. One difference for motorcyclists is that themajority of SCRIM tests follow the nearside wheel track. On manybends the rider’s line is not the same, so it is important to bear inmind that the test result might not reflect the skid resistance of thesurface the motorcyclist is riding on.There are two significant areasfor improvement relating to the use of SCRIM:

v Although this procedure is standard for trunk roads andmotorways it is not universally used on local roads. It wouldbe a major benefit to the safety of all road users to expandthe use of the machines, or to target them better usinginformation from the new network condition monitoringsystems mentioned above.

v Combining data on accidents involving skidding in wetconditions with a graphical representation of lengths ofSCRIM at or below investigatory levels can form a powerfulanalysis tool in identifying places where road users,particularly motorcyclists, would benefit by targeted surfacemaintenance.This is a relatively simple technique usingGeographical Information Systems,which often form thebasis of asset and pavement management software.

Surface contamination and debris

6.3.4 The consequences of loss of grip are usually more severe formotorcycle riders. Loose grit and gravel are a major concern forriders and routine maintenance should be planned to reduce theamount of this debris left on the road.The following action pointsare worth adopting:

v During the surface-dressing season storage of granularmaterial at the roadside, which could then spill into thecarriageway, should be avoided.

v Before re-opening a surface-dressed site to normal trafficexcess material should be completely removed; failure to dothis can lead to skidding and serious abrasive injuries to riders.

v Prompt removal of mud and animal slurry. Cleansingoperations need to be properly managed. Simply hosing aroad with water may just compound the problem, especiallyin winter.


v Roads should be kept clear of debris which collects in areasnot normally used by twin track vehicles, such as the middleof a road near traffic islands, or the outside edges ofroundabouts. As well as compromising surface grip, theseareas can collect metal debris which can cause punctures.

v Establish relations with local rider user groups and adoptreporting systems to enable prompt reaction to spillages.

v The Code of Practice for Maintenance Management ~WellMaintained Highways (DfT 2005), addresses ‘Safety’ &‘Surface’ inspections. These should be carried out regularlyand the opportunity should be used to locate areas ofunused carriageway where loose road material accumulates.Motorcycles can use any area of the carriageway andmethods of eliminating this loose grit could be determinedpossibly by realignment but certainly by priority sweepingpending any other action.

v Obviously the spillage of diesel, oil and other similarsubstances on the road surface is of great concern to themotorcyclist. Even the use of absorbent granules to removethese spills can be a hazard. At sites where this is known tobe a regular problem consider warning signing. DevonCounty Council promotes a “Spiller Killer” campaign toreduce this problem (Chapter 7).

v To give all motorists clear warning of the commencement ofroadworks, it is important that signing in accordance withchapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual is used and maintained.Loose chipping warning signs need to be prominent.

Visibility

6.3.5 “Looked but did not see” is a common contributory factor inaccidents involving motorcycles and other motor vehicles.This puts“see and be seen”at the top of the motorcycling agenda.Unfortunately this can become a problem at sites, particularlypriority junctions and small roundabouts, where planted areas andhedges can completely mask a motorcyclist. Problems caused bypoorly maintained vegetation restricting visibility should beaddressed by an enhanced maintenance regime or modifying thetype of planting.

Road markings and road studs

6.3.6 The use of road markings needs to be carefully examinedfrom a motorcyclist-inclusive viewpoint.The position and skidresistance value of edge lining, rumble strips, large arrows andhatched centre line marking can all catch out the unwarymotorcyclist, especially in the wet. Laying new markings on top ofold ones can create areas where water collects without drainingaway; where layering makes road markings over 6mm high, theywould in most cases, be unlawful. It is a false economy to avoidrelining a maintenance scheme; the remaining road markings mayconstitute a standing water hazard. Blacking-out redundantmarkings rather than burning or planing them off creates a higherup-stand with the added hazard of reduced skid resistance.Theissue of road markings is discussed further in a Road Safety Auditcontext in Chapter 9.


Detritus on outside of bend at junction.Keith Sharples Photography.

Detritus on roundabout.Keith Sharples Photography.

6.3.7Many different types of road studs are now available. Newertypes have higher retro-reflectivity and may be more suited toroutes well used by motorcyclists.Motorcycle headlamps give alower level of illumination and the lean of a motorcycle going into abend can take the headlight beam away from hazards.

Rutting

6.3.8 Badly rutted surfaces cause particular problems in wetconditions. In addition to the rapid change in level and sharpridges, they retain water and increase the risk of aquaplaning. Usewarning signs as an interim measure while a programmedmaintenance scheme can be designed.

Re-texturing

6.3.9 The various techniques of surface roughening such asgrooving which are used to give a texture or help drain thecarriageway must be carefully considered and when used shouldbe adequately signed to give the motorcyclist ample warning ofwhat is ahead.

Potholes and reporting systems

6.3.10.1 Potholes can be one of the most dangerous hazards formotorcyclists and cyclists. Adequate inspection and repair regimesshould deal with the vast majority but local authorities shouldencourage the public to report ones they encounter.The BritishMotorcyclists’ Federation (BMF) and the Motorcycle Action Group(MAG), along with a number of local authorities distribute fault-reporting postcards.The Highways Agency are piloting a ‘REPORT AROAD’ facility which allows riders to pinpoint faults and e-mail localhighway authorities details.Motorcycle riders are more likely thanother road users to make use of such facilities, although theoutcomes benefit other road users.Many local authorities haveone-stop shops with a single phone number contact to report allkind of road-related problems.These laudable arrangements needto be widely publicised and perhaps augmented by the use of SMStext messaging, a convenient medium well used by riders.

Traffic calming schemes

6.3.11 Poorly maintained traffic calming can present problems withdifficult level and wheel path changes and trapping surface water.The use of block paving or stone setts as entrance features cancause problems because this is usually an area where riders need tomake turns. A further problem can be carriageway break-upadjacent to new vertical features (Chapter 8).

Materials

6.3.12 It would be worthwhile when planning maintenanceschemes to consider using specialist materials on routes known tocarry significant numbers of motorcycles or locations with highnumbers of rider casualties. An example would be using accidentrecords to select sites for high friction dressing. Avoid usingexcessively wide bitumen over-banding to seal cracks and prevent


Rutted surface on bend.Keith Sharples Photography.

Potholes present a particular hazard tomotorcycles.Keith Sharples Photography.

water entering the road construction; bitumen can be less thanadequate in terms of grip, especially in wet conditions and cancontribute to loss of control accidents involving motorcyclists. Thereare alternatives reported to have better grip properties (FEMA2004).

Drainage

6.3.13 Inadequate or compromised drainage creates wet patchesand water pools causing slippery surfaces and increasing thepossibility of aquaplaning. A particular hazard is where non-carriageway water runs across the road - often in between gullypositions. Gullies blocked due to lack of maintenance or leaf fall inwooded areas are hazardous, and should be inspected and cleanedregularly.The design of traffic calming features needs to takeaccount of drainage paths to ensure water does not pool in front ofor behind the feature. It is important to remember that not allmotorcyclists are fair weather leisure riders.Many people use theirmachines for commuting in winter. Ice can have seriousconsequences for all road users, but the price paid by a dismountedmotorcyclist can be fatal.

Lighting

6.3.14 The dynamics of motorcycling mean that it is critical for therider to be able to see the detail of the road surface. At nightconsistent road lighting helps to enable any standing water,potholes or uneven service covers to be seen in time to takeevasive action. Effective and well maintained lighting at trafficcalming features is important, especially at vertical features such asroad humps and speed tables, as motorcycle stability is particularlysensitive to abrupt changes in vertical alignment.Therefore thelocal authority needs a thorough and timely inspection and repairregime for road lighting.


Broken and patched surface near totraffic calming.Keith Sharples Photography.

Poorly lit traffic calming presents a hazard to all users, but inparticular motorcycles.

Keith Sharples Photography.

Roadside trees

6.3.15 Roadside trees obscuring lighting or giving a high risk ofcausing serious injuries from collision or which cause continualproblems with leaf fall on the road should be considered for branchlopping or enhanced carriageway maintenance to avoid leavesremaining on the road.

Service Covers

6.3.16 One of the most regular problems raised by motorcyclists isthat of service covers. Designers and maintenance engineers shouldtake every opportunity to assess the use of steel service covers inthe carriageway and,where relocation is impossible, considerreplacement with high skid resistance covers.The most difficultsites are those where the cover lies on the riding line during achange of direction, either turning a corner, rounding a bend or atroundabouts. Proposals to position new covers within thecarriageway, especially at roundabouts, should be discouraged.

6.3.17 The British and European Standard on service covers isunder review with the intention of including a requirement forenhanced skid resistance. Anti-skid surfaces can be retro-fitted tocovers that cannot be relocated.Where utility companies intendrenewal of apparatus in the road it should be suggested to themthat new covers should be a “skid proof” type.

6.3.18 In new developments the local authority should advise onthe location of covers and perhaps specify that they are located inservice strips in the verge/footway as opposed to the carriageway.

6.4Winter Maintenance

6.4.1Motorcycle use diminishes during the winter. However therisk and the severity of hazard increase. Excess salt residues cancause skidding problems for motorcyclists; therefore moderntechniques using pre-wetted salt, reducing the quantity andgranularity of road salt,may be beneficial to the rider.

6.5 RoadWorks

6.5.1 The positioning of temporary road signs can create a hazardfor the motorcyclist when negotiating roadworks, as can overspillfrom materials stored on coned-off areas.

6.5.2 Poor re-instatement of road surfaces, temporary or otherwise,can pose severe stability problems to riders, especially at low speed.Local authorities should use their powers under the New Roads andStreet Works Act (1992) and the Traffic Management Act (2004) toensure work conforms to the associated code of practice.

6.5.3 Areas of substandard road lighting can pose an even biggerrisk during roadworks.Missing or defective lighting should berepaired before work commences.


Numerous service covers.Keith Sharples Photography.

7.1 Key Points

7.2 Context

7.2.1 Road safety campaigns are a vital ingredient in the mix ofinitiatives needed to improve the safety record of motorcyclists.Rider attitudes play a major role in determining rider behaviour,irrespective of age or trip purpose.Measures designed to modifybehaviour must address these attitudes and take account of theindividuality often expressed in choosing a motorcycle as the travelmode. Riders respond better to messages that relate to their ownperspective and are likely to ignore “must do”or “must not do”approaches.

7.3 Education

7.3.1v Education through publicity is a well tried means of affecting

attitude and behaviour but, for it to be effective, it must be:v Research and data led. Analyse the physical and

psychological factors leading to accidents and devise validcountermeasures.

v Carefully targeted at its audience. Rider consultation andnegotiation will help to ensure that content is appropriate.The target audience may include other road users.

v Welcomed by that audience. It must be meaningful to itsrecipients and contain specific advice or benefits - generalexhortations to ride safely are meaningless as most ridersthink that they are already riding well.

v Evaluated to gauge its effectiveness.


CHAPTER 7 ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNS

7.1.1 A well designed, targeted and researched road safetycampaign comprising the appropriate elements of educationawareness, training and publicity and that deals with bothattitudinal and behavioural factors leading to accidentinvolvement is a vital tool for dealing with motorcycle road safetyproblems. Important points to remember include:

v Where a road safety campaign is designed in support ofengineering measures the budget should be built in to thescheme costs.

v Liaison with neighbouring authorities will bring cost andresource benefits when a problem is shared acrossboundaries.

v A regional campaign brings benefits of scale and isrecommended when there is a generic problem in theregion, allowing remedial measures to be offered in thehome area of high-risk riders.

v Every opportunity should be taken in any educational orpromotional campaign to include vulnerable road users.

v Sponsorship opportunities exist, especially from thoseassociated with retail or leisure services, and provideexcellent opportunities to present initiatives to riders attheir own gathering places.

v Expertise and experience in mounting effective campaignsis available. Check with the LARSOA and regional roadsafety groups prior to designing and implementing an in-house campaign.

7.4 The Role of Training

7.4.1 Appropriately designed training, addressing attitudinal as wellas skills deficiencies and aimed at addressing the particular risksfaced by different users is a beneficial supplement to publicitycampaigns. Avoid prescriptive skills training formats; use the resultsof accident analysis and the existing performance shortfalls of theindividual to guide the content of the training to be delivered.Thiscan mean tailored assessments of rider ability.

7.5 Co-operativeWorking

Internally

7.5.1 Road safety education campaigns are most effective whencombined with their engineering and enforcement counterparts.The project engineer responsible for road layout changes shouldkeep their Road Safety Officer (RSO) colleagues informed -preferably involving an appropriately trained and skilled RSO at thedesign and road safety audit stages. Police and RSO liaison and co-operation is also desirable and productive. A publicity campaigncan explain engineering changes to a road layout and the reasonsfor the changes, and can be backed up by enforcement whennecessary. It is recommended that education and publicity budgetsshould be included in scheme costs.

Across borders

7.5.2 If there is a specific problem within the borders of theauthority yet not peculiar to any one site or group of sites, then alocal campaign, carefully targeted to address the root cause of theproblem, is worth serious consideration. It may be that liaison withneighbouring authorities and police forces will show that there is ashared problem which no individual body can overcome inisolation. If this is the case co-operation with the neighbouringauthorities is cost effective and allows publicity at the homelocation of riders as well as at the risk location. Riders often travelsome distance from their homes to favoured riding areas but aremost likely to be reached by campaign elements if they are offeredconveniently close to their homes.

Across a region

7.5.3 At a regional level, it is recommended that specific groupsmost at risk be targeted, for example sports bike riders or urbancommuters. Again, this requires an analysis of the factors that leadto accidents and the creation of measures to address them. Acombination of educational and psychological approachesdesigned to effect attitude and behavioural change, and provisionof appropriate needs-based training, is probably the best wayforward, together with a consistent and supportive enforcementapproach.

Nationally

7.5.4 On a national level, central and local government have forgedexcellent links with the motorcycle manufacturers’ and retailers’


associations and the main rider and training groups to shareknowledge and coordinate activities, for example linking with theMotorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) DVD titled A Street, A Track,An Open Road. This takes an “edutainment” approach to rider safetyand is being issued with all new machine purchases.The LocalAuthority Road Safety Officers Association (LARSOA) is the main‘clearing house’ for local authority educational and publicitymeasures and it is recommended that the appropriate LARSOAadviser be consulted before initiating any new measures. Obviously,collaboration between all interested parties is essential to attaincohesive and effective approaches, while avoiding duplication.TheLARSOA web site includes examples of previous schemes.(www.larsoa.org.uk)

7.6 Determining the Target Audience and theMessage

7.6.1 There is no single target or message for an effective andoverarching campaign. Riders choose their mode of transportdepending on their individual needs and the culture groups towhich they belong or aspire to.This means that the message to bepropagated differs considerably depending on the target audience.Generic exhortations such as “ride safely” fall onto deaf ears, as theyare not identified by the intended audience as applying to them.The Government’s “Think” strap-line and campaign provides anexcellent opportunity to tie any local campaign into a nationallyrecognised approach.

7.6.2 The different groups that may need to be targeted,depending on the local situation, could include:

v Teenage moped and scooter riders.The attitudes andbehaviours exhibited by this group, often created by peerpressure or fashion trends, demand a different approachthan for other riders.

v Urban riders are often exposed to similar risks in their ridingenvironment with many accidents occurring at junctions,often in circumstances where they had priority. A commonapproach may help these riders:u Scooter riders - urban commuting.u Commuters - longer distance.u At-work riders - for example, fast-food delivery and

couriers.

v Leisure riders are mostly at higher risk on rural roads so,again, a common approach is desirable.This categoryincludes riders of:u Sports bikes - experience has shown that it is extremely

difficult to attract the attention of these riders.u Tourers.u Custom bikes and cruisers.

7.6.3 The various groups of riders choose their own level of risk,consciously or unconsciously. If there is a particular problem withina defined locality or area then in-depth analysis of police accidentreports allows the identification of the specific accidentinvolvement factors for the different rider groups.This will allow the


creation of appropriate interventions, involving publicity, training oreducation, or a combination of all three, together with engineeringand/or enforcement. Further investigation by someone skilled inriding may be valuable in supplementing the raw data availablefrom police accident reports.This is a relatively straightforward taskat a local level but will need greater effort to achieve on a regionalor national basis.

7.7 Campaign Examples

7.7.1 The type of accident in which riders are involved varies fromurban to rural situations, by journey purpose and by style of riding.Leisure riders, especially sports bike riders, travel considerabledistances to attractive areas.This makes co-operation betweenneighbouring local authorities and police forces extremelybeneficial. In a similar way, longer distance commuters may travelthough several authority areas. Analysis of police data or localsurveys can provide useful information on home addresses,allowing the campaign elements to be delivered to the targetgroup. Good examples of campaigns and initiatives include:

v BikeSafe is an initiative run by police forces around the UKwho work with the motorcycling community by holdingassessment rides and rider skills workshops, including theorysessions led by experienced motorcycle patrol officers.Recommendations to take further training are often theoutcomes of the assessment rides.The value of the scheme isacknowledged by many motor insurance companies, whooffer a discount on premiums to riders who have completedthe programme.The Association of Chief Police Officers(ACPO) has approved a national syllabus for guidance toforces on the content, structure and management ofBikeSafe activities. BikeSafe has a ten-point approach toreducing motorcycle casualtiesu A multi-agency approach.u Motorcyclist involvement including “observed rides”.u Industry involvement.u Dealer involvement.u Raised awareness of potential dangers.u Highlight importance of post-test training.u Raise motorist awareness to “Think Bike”.u Enforcement of speed limits.u Enforcement to counter dangerous and careless riding.u Education and advice on security of motorcycles and

regular checks for stolen machines and parts.

v The “Shiny Side Up”campaign brings together the EastMidlands group of local authorities and NottinghamshirePolice.The campaign is designed to persuade sports bikeriders, who figure predominantly in the region’s accidentstatistics, to look at their attitudes and behaviour. Previousattempts to persuade these riders to attend training sessionsdid not meet with great success.The campaign addressesthe attitude and behaviour of the sports bike rider ratherthan promoting training. Campaign elements include aninnovative video, Fatal Attraction.The video has a mix ofracing insights and riding skills and includes thought-provoking messages featuring British Super Bike champion,


Road side posters as part of Shiny SideUp Partnership.Shiny Side Up Partnership.

John Reynolds. Local police have enhanced their presenceon the specific roads commonly attractive to riders androadside messages are used to target both riders andmotorists, backed up by a prominent presence at the nearbyDonnington race track on race days.The campaign wasrecognised with the Prince Michael International Road SafetyAward in 2003.

v Warwickshire Police’s Scootersafe campaign teams up withscooter dealers to offer new scooter buyers a free one-to-oneride-out with a member of the force’s BikeSafe team.Scootersafe has also been taken intoWarwickshire Countyschools (Year 10 pupils).

v Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Safety CameraPartnership’s “Blind Faith” campaign features an eye-catchingdisplay depicting a crashed motorcycle. At large gatheringsof riders this display attracts the attention of sports bikeriders who are then encouraged by staff on the stand to taketraining.

v The North East region, led by Stockton Borough Council, hasintroduced Handle It Or Lose It, a campaign heavily based onconsumer research that is being adopted in other areas.Funding has come from local authority budgets, safetycamera partnerships and the Highways Agency.Thiscampaign, being rolled out nationally, includes:u Subtle publicity via an interactive website written by

riders for riders - www.handleitorloseit.com.Thiswebsite also allows riders to report highway defects.

u Attending major motorcycling events with an eye-catching display that includes a sports bike painted inthe campaign livery.

u Promotional adverts in the specialist sporting press.u Targeted training in the form of weekend rider

development courses supported by off-duty policeriders and other advanced instructors.

v Gloucestershire County Council uses a “THINK!” liveried biketo enhance awareness of safer riding among drivers and


Shiny side up car sticker.Shiny Side Up Partnership.

Gloucestershire road side poster.Gloucestershire County Council.

Daz-zle.Handle It Or Lose It Campaign.

Road works?Road doesn’t?

Handle it or lose it.Handle It Or Lose It Campaign.

riders in the county.The county’s Motorcycle Safety Co-ordinator takes the message out to road users at events,group meetings and dealerships.Working with major localemployers the co-ordinator assists with training of thoseemployees who use motorcycles to travel to work - insupport of employers’Travel Plans (Chapter 3). The co-ordinator also delivered a programme to engage the 15-17year age group about moped and scooter issues, primarilyvia schools and colleges, but also by a concertedenforcement operation with a follow up workshop for riderswho have a poor attitude to safety - theirs and otherpeople’s. A series of roadside boards on identified routesfeature the “fatal four” for motorcycle riders - speed, control,corners and overtaking.

v Devon County Council’s “Bringing Bikers Out of the BlindSpot” is a programme of initiatives designed to develop andrun over a three-year period. It has been guided by hard-dataresearch and by large-scale consultation with riders in andaround the county. Paper and online questionnaires wereused alongside an innovative online forum that allowedriders to exchange views and ideas. As a result, three neweducation and training courses were developed and fieldtested with local riders before launch, along with:u A course that is entirely psychology-based for riders

who have come to the attention of the police and whomight otherwise face possible court proceedings.

u A post-Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course for


Gloucestershire roadsigns featuring the “fatal four”.Gloucestershire County Council.

Bringing bikers out of the blind spot.Devon County Council.

those taking up the use of motorcycles under the“Wheels to Work” scheme.

u A course for riders returning to motorcycling after a lay-off or wishing to upgrade their riding skills.

u A campaign called “Spiller Killer”designed to reducediesel spills and improve reporting and response times.Using high profile advertising the council has sought toprevent spills, and encourages the prompt reporting ofthem using the council’s existing highway faulttelephone number.

u A series of information campaigns and a newsletterallowing local riders to track the progress of the ideasthey and the county generated.

v South Gloucestershire Council have sought to raiseawareness about the presence and vulnerability ofmotorcyclists and to promote safe and responsible riding. Ina bid to address the number of motorcycle accidentsinvolving “looked but did not see”, and recognising the factthat motorcyclists are not always at fault it launched acampaign to target other road users by:u Distributing DfT leaflets, warning drivers to watch out

for motorcyclists, to local petrol filling stations.u A series of temporary road signs targeting drivers near

motorcycle accident problem sites. Installed in sets ofthree, the signs warn drivers to watch out formotorcycles and to remind them that motorcyclists usethe road too.The third sign shows the number ofmotorcycle accidents in the vicinity. According to asurvey undertaken by the council shortly after theinstallation of the signs,more than half of those whohad seen the signs agreed that they had made themmore aware of motorcycles.

v The campaign also tried to engage 15-17 year oldmotorcyclists, who feature significantly in accident statistics,and to target potential young riders using:u Advertising in local cinemas.u Advertising inside local buses.u The publication of leaflets and posters for young

motorcyclists inspired by local young people.


Diesel “Spiller Killer”promotion.Devon County Council.

Temporary road signs to remind car and other road users that motorcyclistsuse the road. South Gloucestershire Council.

u Letters to parents of all Year 11 (15 to 16 year-old)pupils in South Gloucestershire promoting theadvantages of additional training after CBT andproviding contact points for further information.

7.12 Opportunities should be taken in any campaign to educateother drivers on the presence and vulnerability of motorcycles.Thisis especially of value in urban situations where another driver isoften at fault, for example, at priority junctions when the rider is onthe main road and the other driver is emerging from the side road.Similarly, any driver or rider training programme run or sponsoredby a local authority should have included an element of vulnerableroad user appreciation.

7.8 Resources

Sponsorship opportunities

7.8.1 For local campaigns there are various avenues for seekingsponsorship - if not in direct financial terms then in useful supportfor promotional activities. People involved in selling or promotingmotorcycling interests, both on and off road, frequently giveenthusiastic support.This is also true of the proprietors ofmotorcycle gathering points, including race circuits or publicvenues. Insurance companies are in a business area with a commoninterest in rider safety and may be able to support well designedcampaigns. Co-ordination of this support will allow the message tobe put directly to the target audience at their normal gatheringpoints, at little or no cost to the local authority.

Resource pooling

7.8.2 If a regional approach is to be followed then the pooling oflocal authority human and financial resources is desirable.VariousLARSOA regional groups, as well as smaller groupings ofneighbouring authorities, have successfully co-operated. Again, asat a local level, partnerships with local commercial interests can behelpful. Safety camera partnerships may be able to supply financialand human resources in co-operative endeavours.

7.9 Complementing Other Road SafetyCampaigns

Partnerships

7.9.1 There is a tremendous amount of interest in motorcycle safetyaround the country so it is important to combine resources toachieve effective and efficient campaigns. Any organisationcontemplating a campaign would benefit by checking withLARSOA to see what has, or has not, worked and who elseregionally or nationally may be able to offer collaboration or advice.Potential partners include: Department for Transport (DfT),Highways Agency (HA), local safety camera or casualty reductionpartnerships, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) via itsBikeSafe scheme,Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), BritishMotorcyclists’ Federation (BMF),Motorcycle Action Group (MAG),


Motorcycle Rider Training Association (MRTA), the Institute of RoadSafety Officers (IRSO), regional groups of the Institute of AdvancedMotorists (IAM), Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents(RoSPA), insurance companies and, in the London area,Transport forLondon (TfL).

Wider outlook

7.9.2 Leisure riding is not constrained by local authorityboundaries, nor is long distance commuting, and many accidentsinvolve riders who do not live locally. Individual local authoritiesand other interested groups could still promote their own localthemes but would gain additional benefit from being set within thecontext of overarching activities.

Driver/Rider improvement schemes

7.9.3 Several police forces have introduced Rider ImprovementSchemes in which riders who break road traffic law are offered theopportunity to attend a training course instead of facingprosecution.The Association of National Driver ImprovementScheme Providers (ANDISP) has full details of schemes.

7.9.4.1 One of the first Driver Information programmes to bedeveloped by the Highways Agency under its ‘Customers FirstStrategy’was a DVD for motorcyclists,“Great Roads Great Rides”.Launched at the British Super Bike race meeting at Oulton Park inJuly 06, it features Tommy Hill from the Virgin Mobile Race Teamand backed by the THINK! road safety campaign's Academy, theDriving Standards Agency and police motorcycle instructors.The DVD has 14 chapters covering everything from group riding toreading the road; from the science behind the bike to what to do ifyou’re first to arrive at an accident. By working with industry, theemergency services and road safety stakeholders acrossgovernment, production costs were significantly reduced, enablingsignificant numbers of the DVD to be produced and distributed.Todate over 250,000 copies have been distributed to riders at events,shows and through the Bike press. In addition BikeSafe and theInstitute of Advanced Motorcyclists have both used sections of theDVD in their motorcycle training programmes. For details on whereto get hold of a copy, visitwww.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/11526.aspx

7.9.5.1 Diesel spills create a hazard for all road users but especiallycyclists and motorcyclists. In addition, the contamination of thehighway by Diesel can cause significant damage to the fabric of thecarriageway requiring that surfaces be replaced before their designlife would normally be reached. A 'grass roots' campaign organisedby riders 'KillSpills' has sought to raise awareness of the problemwith Central and Local Government; riders and most importantlythe freight transport industry.Through a series of high profile riderevents, recognition of those seeking to reduce the incidence ofdiesel spills and publicity materials the group hope to reduce thedanger of such spills to riders.


Great Roads Great Rides DVD Cover.Great Roads Great Rides

Kill Spills Leaflet.Kill Spills

7.9.6.1 As part of its HGV safety information campaign

www.heavygoodvehicle.com the Highways Agency is working in

partnership with a number of organisations to distribute 180,000

anti diesel-spill stickers across industry and the public sector.The

stickers are designed to be placed next to the fuel cap of

commercial vehicles to raise awareness of the dangers of over-

filling tanks.

7.10 Evaluation

7.10.1Wherever possible any education, training or publicity

measures should be evaluated in order to see if the desired

outcomes have been achieved. As accidents are relatively rare

occurrences it is likely that a combination of attitude change

assessment and incident avoidance measurement will provide best

feedback. Satisfaction surveys are unlikely to give valid results.

Accident data analysis will provide long term information but it is

difficult to isolate the effect of factors external to the delivered

measures. Future evaluation in the UK may use the protocols

developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Development (OECD) and used in the Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study (MAIDS).MAIDS is a detailed review of almost athousand motorcycle accidents across five countries in Europe(OECD 2001, ACEM 2004).

66 GUIDELINES FOR MOTORCYCLING

8.1 Key Points

8.2 Context

8.2.1 Traffic calming measures are very effective in reducing thenumber of injury accidents, especially in residential areas, and inpolarising public opinion about their desirability. Motorcyclists areno more exempt from the intended effects of traffic calming thanany other road user. However, they can also sufferdisproportionately from unintended effects, often safety-related,which then undermine the casualty-reducing purpose of installingtraffic calming measures in the first place. These unintentionallyadverse safety effects stem from issues that can be grouped underthree headings: design; materials and maintenance. The key point toremember is that riding a motorcycle is a permanent balancing actand that the vehicle has only two small tyre “footprints” to providegrip.

8.3 Design

8.3.1 One of the first questions facing the designer of a trafficcalming scheme should be whether to use physical traffic calmingmeasures or not. More subtle changes to the environment, possiblyusing existing environmental features and taking a holisticapproach to the street scene may be more appropriate. It may bepossible to adopt a psychological approach to traffic calmingmethods by modifying the built environment in such a way as tocreate a “negotiated space” for all road users, with a concomitantreduction in speed, enabling the reduction or even removal of theneed for vertical traffic calming features.

8.3.2 The choice of what type of physical measures to use isnormally influenced by a number of factors, including: accidentrecords, traffic volume; pedestrian activity; target speed; thepresence of bus routes; the needs of emergency services, sensitivityof the local environment, the views of local residents and budget.Many motorcyclists prefer speed cushions that give the option ofriding between the speed cushions rather than over them. Thisdoes not negate the measure; the act of aligning a motorcycle topass through a small gap between speed cushions will bring about


CHAPTER 8 MOTORCYCLES ANDTRAFFIC CALMING

8.1.1 The majority of motorcycle riders are responsible road users,and have the same polar opinions about traffic calming schemesas other people, facing the same “residents-and-road users”dilemma that most people face. If traffic calming is the only way toimprove the road safety record of an area then these factors needattention:

❖ Location❖ Lighting❖ Materials❖ Maintenance

The consequences of poor design and maintenance in this contextcan be harmful for riders, defeating the purpose for which trafficcalming was intended.

Motorcycle negotiating a cushionscheme.Keith Sharples Photography.

some reduction in speed, although it may fall short of the targetspeed for the scheme. Useful publications in this area include HomeZone Design Guidelines (IHIE 2002) and Traffic Calming Techniques(IHT/CSS 2005) and relevant Traffic Advisory Leaflets available fromthe Department for Transport (DfT).

Location of traffic calming measures

8.3.3 A major problem facing the designer of traffic calmingschemes is choosing the location of the measures. The needs andvulnerabilities of motorcyclists should be accounted for along withall the other factors influencing this process. Some important issuesare:

❖ Vertical traffic calming measures should not be locatedanywhere a motorcyclist will need to brake or changingdirection. Ramps for raised junctions should begin farenough back so that the motorcycle negotiates the ramp ina straight line.

❖ The design of the scheme should include adequate warningsigns, both permanent and temporary, warning of the newroad layout ahead. Consider using on-site publicity prior toinstalling the traffic calming measures. Ensure any temporarysigns are removed not later than three months after thecompletion of the scheme.

❖ Whenever possible a non-vertical speed reducing featureshould be used at the entrance to a traffic calming scheme.Since changes in the regulations affecting traffic calmingscheme design, some schemes have appeared that start witha speed hump or cushions. Without some form of speed-reducing feature, there is always the risk that a motorcyclistwill unintentionally hit the first vertical measure at speed. Fora car driver, this could imply an uncomfortable bump. For amotorcyclist, the implication could be serious injury.

❖ A commonly used non-vertical speed reducing feature intraffic calming schemes is the mini-roundabout. Withoutcareful design, motorcyclists, like other vulnerable road users,can suffer disproportionate risk at these junctions. Particularpoints to bear in mind include:

◆ Adequate skid resistance of the mini-roundabout arrowmarkings.

◆ Most junction designs are checked to make sure thatlarger vehicles’ swept paths can be accommodated.Motorcycles making tight right turns at mini-roundabouts can have stability problems, especially ifthe turn is more than 90°.

◆ Make sure there is adequate advanced warning of thejunction type.

◆ Ensure adequate visibility; using a mini-roundaboutbecause there is insufficient visibility for a priorityjunction is rarely a safe option for any road user.

❖ The design of horizontal schemes, often called chicaneschemes, should allow for the fact that motorcyclists onlower-powered machines tend to ride near the kerb. Thebuild-outs often associated with these schemes can posesignificant risks:

◆ They can catch riders unaware, leading to collision. This


Road hump with no speed reducingfeature at the start.Keith Sharples Photography.

is especially a problem when a scheme is recentlyconstructed. Build-outs should be conspicuous.

◆ They force motorcyclists to move to the centre of theroad or even, in priority working schemes, intooncoming traffic, much of which is unwilling to giveway to a motorcycle, especially a smaller machine.

◆ The use of low over-run areas as build-outs can causestability problems if a rider clips the edge. Thestandards permit an up-stand of no more than 15mm,but even this can cause problems to the rider of asmaller machine when turning.

❖ Islands or refuges used to reduce the width of the roadshould be conspicuous, allowing motorcyclists to positionthemselves correctly in advance, avoiding late and suddenchanges of direction.

❖ Where bicycle bypasses are provided around traffic calmingmeasures, these should be narrow enough to discourage useby motorcycles.

❖ Always ensure the location of traffic calming measures doesnot lead to poor drainage; standing surface water couldcompromise motorcycle safety, especially in freezingconditions.

❖ Humps and speed cushions should be located 10-15 metresaway from junctions to allow riders to turn out and to passover them vertically. This should be balanced againstpedestrian desire lines where flat-topped humps are beingspecifically installed as crossings.

Lighting

8.3.4 Most traffic engineers understand that street lighting is aspecialised subject requiring an increasingly sophisticatedapproach and comprehensive knowledge of the types of lightsources available and the best places to use them. It is of vitalimportance that the night-time safety and performance of trafficcalming measures are not compromised by inadequate streetlighting. Motorcycle head lamps are typically less bright than thoseof other vehicles, making good lighting of traffic calming measuresan important factor in making the scheme safer. Obviously the firstpoint of contact will be the local authority street lighting team; ifthis is not possible, then the Institution of Lighting Engineers (ILE)can provide advice on the technical aspects of scheme lighting tosuit all road users, including motorcyclists. The ILE has published atechnical report called Lighting for Traffic Calming Features (ILE2002). Particular issues to bear in mind are:

❖ The scheme should be evenly illuminated, with particularattention paid to traffic calming measures that alter thenormal road alignment, for example build-outs and chicanes.

❖ The lighting should provide good colour rendering,especially where colour is an integral part of the scheme.

8.4 Materials

8.4.1 There is an array of choices facing the designer whenselecting materials for traffic calming measures, and a number offactors influence this choice. These range from local environmental


Build outs in association with trafficcalming should be conspicuous.Keith Sharples Photography.

Build outs in association with trafficcalming should be conspicuous.MCIA.

Traffic calming features should be well lit.Keith Sharples Photography.

considerations, through technical performance and maintenanceissues, to financial and purchasing policy factors. To this range offactors must be added the needs of vulnerable road users, includingmotorcyclists. The choice of materials can have a huge impact onthe utility and safety of a traffic calming scheme from the rider’sviewpoint. Particular issues to consider include:

❖ The use of block paving or stone setts, including on speedtables and raised junctions. These often have poor skidresistance, especially when wet. They are hard to maintain,with displaced blocks and alternative reinstatementmaterials offering uneven and unpredictable surfaces formotorcyclists.

❖ The use of bitumen to seal cracks and reinstatements. Thismaterial has very low skid resistance in wet conditions, yet isroutinely used to seal the joints in traffic calming measures,notably speed cushions. Alternative materials are becomingavailable (FEMA 2004).

❖ The use of white thermoplastic on traffic calming measures;for example white triangles used to highlight humps aremandatory, but can cause problems when:

◆ The material used has insufficient skid resistance.Markings are often at the centre of a lane, just wherethe wheel tracks of motorcycles will pass.

◆ High traffic levels or poorly specified material can causethem to fade quickly, making a bitumen-basedmeasure hard to distinguish against the road surface,especially at night.

❖ Transverse bars, rumble strips and “dragon’s teeth” markingson the approach to gateways and other traffic calmingmeasures are often in the braking zone for road users. If thematerials do not provide suitable skid resistance or if they


Setts used in a turning area formotorcycles.Keith Sharples Photography.

Visible - yes, but slippery too?Keith Sharples Photography.

White triangles can fade quickly.Keith Sharples Photography.

Dragon’s teeth speed cushion (mid photo) with no speed reducing featureat start. Keith Sharples Photography.

present a series of vertical displacements they can constitutean added hazard for motorcyclists.

❖ The potential to use collapsible or frangible street furniture,especially in locations that could conceivably be in the pathof a falling rider.

8.5 Maintenance

8.5.1 The first traffic calming schemes were installed on publicroads in the UK in the 1980s and maintenance of these olderschemes is now becoming a problem for many local authoritiesacross the country. Poorly-maintained traffic calming schemes canbe a hazard to road users and pedestrians alike; as always theconsequence of this hazard will often be most severe formotorcyclists. Maintenance issues in general are dealt with inChapter 6, but particular issues relating to traffic calming schemesinclude:

❖ Reinstatement using non-original materials that present aninconsistent road surface to riders.

❖ Uneven wear on vertical measures, especially where blockpaving is used, leading to unexpected depressions.

❖ Road markings that fall below acceptable standards forretro-reflectivity and skid resistance (assuming they metthem when new) or even fade away completely.


Frangible marker post.Keith Sharples Photography.

Poorly reinstated traffic calming.Keith Sharples Photography.

Poorly reinstated traffic calming.Keith Sharples Photography.

9.1 Key Points

9.2 Context

9.2.1 Road Safety Audit (RSA) has existed in the UK since the late1980s. Audits of trunk road and motorway schemes have beenmandatory since 1991.Many local authorities voluntarily carry outsuch design-independent audits using the trunk road standardcontained in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges HD 19/03(DfT 2003) or the guidance given in the IHT document The SafetyAudit of Highways [IHT 1996]. Other helpful documents on thebasics of RSA practice include the book Practical Road SafetyAuditing [TMS 2001].

Under the HD19/03 standard the RSA process audits at four keystages:

1. Preliminary design stage.2. Detailed design stage (prior to starting construction).3. Prior to opening to traffic (or after finishing construction if itis not possible to keep the scheme closed to traffic).

4. One and three years after opening.

9.2.2 Highway and traffic engineering practice in England andWales usually separates safety auditing and user auditing.The latterfocuses on encouraging better infrastructure provision forsustainable modes to encourage modal shift. However, it has alwaysbeen good practice for safety auditors to take a multi-modalapproach to the process, taking special care with safety implicationsfor vulnerable road users; equestrians, cyclists and pedestrians.While not being completely overlooked,motorcyclists have had alower profile in this ”special care” regime, perhaps because the


CHAPTER 9 MOTORCYCLING ANDROAD SAFETY AUDIT

9.1.1 There is no exhaustive checklist for accounting formotorcycles in RSA work. Nor does anyone expect an RSApractitioner to undertake motorcycle training in order tounderstand the needs of riders.Gaining a better understanding of the safety problems likely toface motorcyclists includes:

v Awareness of the common characteristics of motorcycleaccidents.

v Awareness of the more severe implications for riders ofhazards that affect all road users.

v Awareness of the road dynamics of motorcycles and thesafety implications of their relationship to road surfaceproperties, street furniture and obstructions.

v The different problems faced by riders in the urban andrural environments.

v Informing RSA practice by discussions with localmotorcycle forums or internal discussions with colleagueswho ride.

v Road Safety Audits on larger schemes may include a rider toadvise the audit team.

Guidelines for the Safety Audit ofHighways

Practical Road Safety Auditing

higher speeds of motorcycles push them, almost intuitively, into thesame camp as twin track motor vehicles.This is a seriousmisapprehension.The dynamics of motorcycles and thevulnerability of their riders make motorcycling a unique mode inthe traffic mix, demanding separate, informed consideration bydesigners and auditors alike.

9.2.3 No one expects special treatment for motorcycles and theirriders. It will always be the safety auditor’s prime objective toexamine the safety of a new scheme from a holistic viewpoint.TheRSA practitioner seeks an optimal balance of risk across all modes,using experiential and empirical judgement to identify hazards,quantify risks and estimate likely outcomes, both in terms ofnumbers and severity.

9.2.4 The point of this chapter is not to present motorcycles as aspecial case, but to redress an imbalance among RSA practitioners,with little or no experience of riding a motorcycle, of how thebalance of risks shifts markedly on two wheels as opposed to fouror more.

9.3 Accident Characteristics

9.3.1 The introduction to the Guidelines shows clearly that the roadsafety problem for motorcyclists differs sharply according to theirenvironment.The typical urban motorcycle accident involvesanother vehicle, usually at a junction, and often when themotorcyclist has priority.The rural situation could not be moredifferent. Often no other vehicle is involved, and the location isaway from a junction, typically on a bend. It should be self-evidentthat the contributory factors that increase the likelihood of suchaccidents are equally diverse.This chapter will deal with thesediverse factors of critical interest to the safety auditor.

9.4 Dynamics

9.4.1 The majority of non-motorcyclists might summarise thedynamic differences between motorcycles and other traffic as:“theyaccelerate faster and can get around traffic queues”. Both thesethings are true, but there is much more to the dynamics ofmotorcycles than two headline factors, and auditors need to beaware of other, subtler, dynamic differences to properly include theneeds of motorcycle riders in the balancing of risks. It should alwaysbe foremost in an auditor’s mind that what may present a minornuisance or a low risk, low severity hazard to a twin track vehicledriver,may present a low risk, high severity hazard to a motorcyclerider.

9.4.2Most of the important dynamic differences betweenmotorcycles and other vehicles arise from the way motorcyclesmake use of the laws of physics. For example, no other motorvehicles have wheels that can, indeed must,move significantly outof the vertical to enable manoeuvres such as cornering. At speed,the wheels behave like two large gyroscopes, adding a furtherdimension to their physical properties. A skilful rider can makegood use of this gyroscopic effect. A novice will find it can produce


Motorcycle on a roundabout.Keith Sharples Photography.

Rural riding.Keith Sharples Photography.

unexpected effects. For example, on bends, applying the front brakecan cause the machine to “sit up”and take a line tangential to thebend. From this it is easy to see why predictable and consistentbend geometry is critical to rider safety. For those involved inproviding or maintaining the road infrastructure these dynamicdifferences mean that a motorcycle is not a kind of “two-wheeledcar”.

9.5 Dynamic Implications

9.5.1 The RSA practitioner needs to keep in mind a number ofimplications of the unique dynamics of motorcycles that are key tooptimising safety for motorcyclists.

Awareness of the line that motorcyclists take throughbends and junctions, keeping them clear of:

v Service covers and gully gratings. Locating ironwork out ofthe wheel tracks of twin track vehicles or on the outside ofbends can place them on the line used by motorcycles.Thispresents a sudden change in road surface properties leadingto stability problems. It should also be noted that water onservice covers freezes sooner than water on the surroundingroad surface. If the cover cannot be moved, it should beprovided with a surface finish compatible with the skidresistance of the surrounding road.

v Large areas of road marking. Thermoplastic road markingmaterial should be laid to an acceptable standard of skidresistance and retro-reflectivity. In practice, newly laidmarkings are rarely tested, and even if they are, the valuesoften fall long before the road surface requires maintenance(see below).This leads to markings that are slippery whenwet. Large areas of such markings, especially in areas likely tobe used by motorcycles, can present a serious safety hazard.This has to be balanced against a realistic assessment of anyroad safety benefits to be gained from using large areas ofroad markings.

Awareness of the“clear zone”around the outside ofbends, keeping it clear of:

v Unprotected street furniture. Best practice in street scenemanagement recommends auditing of street furniture to see


Service cover on a bend.Keith Sharples Photography.

Road markings on a bend.Keith Sharples Photography.

Cluttered bend.Keith Sharples Photography.

if, for example, signs can be .rationalised into singleassemblies to avoid a proliferation of posts.This should betaken a stage further, with sign locations considered carefullyto make sure they do not present a collision hazard for afalling motorcyclist. If it is unavoidable to have streetfurniture in the “clear zone”, every effort should be made tomake it as ‘impact friendly’ as possible.

v Safety barrier products that have only been tested ontwin track vehicles. These can represent a serious hazard toa dismounted rider.More investigation is needed into after-market collision mitigation measures in locations wherethere is a higher risk of motorcycle loss of control (Chapter4).

Awareness of the effects of unpredictable surfaceirregularities, such as:

v Poor surface tie-ins. This is yet another example of aproblem that can be a cause of mild irritation to a twin trackvehicle driver, and yet potentially cause a motorcyclist tosuffer a sudden shift in balance, with loss of control andpossibly a crash to follow.

v Badly designed or located traffic calming features. Asalready described,motorcycles are machines that, to a point,become better balanced with increasing speed. Conversely,travelling at low speed can require more of rider andmachine. In this situation, poor location, design ormaintenance of traffic calming features can contribute toloss of balance, reduced control or even a crash (see Chapter8).

v Areas likely to retain surface detritus.Motorcycles formjust over 1% of the traffic mix by distance travelled in the UK[DfT 2003a]. Other vehicles tend to push surface detritus,chippings, broken lens glass and so on, into areas of the roadthey do not use.These same areas can be used bymotorcyclists, either because it forms the correct line for amotorcyclist to take or because other, heavier traffic haspushed them there. In any case,motorcycles require the roadto facilitate grip and braking; areas covered in road detritusfacilitate neither.This subject is covered in more detail inChapter 6.

v Poorly designed drainage. It should be self-evident thatmotorcyclists suffer sooner and more severely when surfacewater is not dealt with by carriageway drainage systems.

Awareness of the importance of consistent skid resistanceproperties:

v Terminating anti-skid surfacing on straight sections.Sudden changes in road surface properties on bends orjunctions, especially skid resistance, can lead to stabilityproblems as the rider tries to cope with the sudden changein the dynamics and response of the motorcycle.

v Not using innovative road markings too close to bends.This includes:u Dragon’s teeth markings.u Speed limit roundels or other surface “signs”.u Transverse markings or “jiggle”bars.


Retro fitted treatment to safety barrier.Highways Agency.

Detritus on a roundabout.Keith Sharples Photography.

Road markings at the point wheremotorcycle needs to brake beforecornering.Keith Sharples Photography.

9.5.2 The same principle about sudden changes in road surfaceproperties applies here: road markings rarely have the same skidresistance value as the surrounding road surface. Placing markings inareas of the road likely to be used for braking or cornering bymotorcyclists can significantly increase the risk of stability problems.This can often be avoided by relocating the marking, rather thanlosing its general road safety benefit by deleting it altogether.

v Using road-marking material that has an acceptable level ofskid resistance and remains close to that level for the life ofthe marking.This implies:u Using profiled lining instead of flat lining.u Using material that has a similar skid resistance to thesurrounding surface.

u Using material that has retro-reflectivity that enables arider to maintain good forward visibility at night,especially in the wet, when riding conditions and retro-reflectivity are both at a minimum.

u Setting high, achievable standards for retro-reflectivityand skid resistance - and testing for them.

u Using new marking materials and methods of laying,for example polymethylmethacrylate materials, thatmake it more likely that good skid resistance and retro-reflectivity levels are met and maintained.The extracost of these materials and methods should be setagainst the penalty to be paid for permitting poorstandards: increased injury accidents.

v Measures to ameliorate the problems caused by mud orleaves on the road.This should include:u Location of new field accesses away from bends andjunctions.

u Providing warning signs at locations where mud islikely to be a recurring problem.

u Considering leaf fall problems when designinglandscaping and the “soft estate”on new schemes.

Awareness of the need for street lighting:v Motorcycle headlights are weaker than those of other motorvehicles.

v Refer to guidance from the local authority street lightingteam or the Institution of Lighting Engineers (ILE 1995).

Awareness that the eye height of a motorcyclist is muchhigher than a car driver:

v Usually this is a good thing, affording the rider a better viewof the road ahead or any developing traffic situation.However, check sight lines at RSA Stage 2 and Stage 3, takingaccount of the increased eye height of the motorcycle rider.An object may intrude into the visibility splay at rider eyeheight that may not obstruct a car driver’s view.

9.6 Urban Schemes

9.6.1Motorcycle accidents in urban areas typically involve anothervehicle and often occur in situations where the rider has priority:

v Check that side road sight lines for emerging drivers atjunctions do not “hide”motorcycle riders, especially those on


Motorcycles may be difficult todistinguish from following traffic.BMF.

lower-powered machines, who tend to ride nearer to thekerb (see inset photo).

v Check that skid resistance at junctions is appropriate,especially where a change in junction control is being made,for example from a priority junction to a signalised junction.

v Check that lane widths are appropriate, especially nearsidelanes on multi-lane single and dual carriageways.This isimportant in areas governed by a 40mph speed limit, wheremopeds (limited to 30mph) can be swamped by passingtraffic, especially where there are high numbers of HGV.

v Check that traffic calming schemes take account of theneeds and vulnerabilities of motorcyclists (Chapter 8).

9.7 Rural Schemes

9.7.1 Rural motorcycle accidents often involve no other vehicles,and frequently occur on bends. Check for:

v Location of service covers and their skid resistance (seeabove).

v Road markings (see above).The reduced effectiveness ofmotorcycle headlights makes the night-time retro-reflectivityperformance of road markings in rural areas especiallyimportant.

v Cross-sectional profile.This can be a safety issue for all roadusers, but can be particularly unforgiving for motorcyclists.Cornering on a motorcycle, especially at rural road speeds, isan activity that involves a degree of planning, skill andtechnique. If the cross-sectional profile of the road does notconform to expectations, the rider may not have time tomake the necessary adjustments and may crash.

v The ‘“clear zone:”on the outside of bends is especiallypertinent in the rural environment (see above)

v Too much visibility to the right on high-speed approaches torural roundabouts.This is a safety issue for all road users andis not catered for in the current design standard. It has twoimplications for motorcyclists:u When the motorcycle is the approaching vehicle, it canencourage excessive entry speed, leading to loss-of-control accidents.

u When the motorcycle is the circulating vehicle, it canencourage drivers of other motorised vehicles to useexcessive approach speeds, increasing the chance ofdrivers “looking but not seeing”and an entering-circulating accident.

v Poor “offside deflection”on rural, high-speed roundaboutapproaches, especially on dual carriageways.The currentdesign standard gives mandatory values for deflection basedon entry path curvature, a line intended to emulate theeasiest route through a junction, ignoring lane markings.Thisworks well when vehicles can choose such a path; however,under modern traffic conditions riders (and drivers) oftenuse the offside lane when the nearside lane is occupied byslower vehicles.This can lead some drivers and riders tocollide with the central island. Implementing the advice insection 7.17 of the standard should reduce this problem(DTp 1993).


Obscured sightline to right, on exit fromside road.Keith Sharples Photography.

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