UK Motorcyclists Overlooked in Parking Provision

Strategic Insights -

Across the UK, only 0.76% of registered motorcycles have dedicated parking slots, with a staggering 4:1 disparity in favor of car drivers. Local authorities have made provisions for fewer than 12,000 motorbikes, despite over 1.4 million licensed bikes on the road. In the South East, 2,606 dedicated parking spaces cater for 1.06% of the 246,400 registered motorcycles, making it the best provision in the country.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK's 1.4 million registered motorcycles have only 10,739 dedicated parking spaces (0.76% of total).
  • Every 30 in 1,000 cars are catered for by councils, while only 7 in 1,000 motorcycles are (over four times less).
  • Hampshire provides the highest number of dedicated motorcycle parking spaces in the South East (658) - 500 more than the national average.
  • Isle of Wight Council offers the best provision in the South East, with 162 dedicated spaces for motorcycles (1.10% of total parking spaces).
  • Many councils fail to provide uniform parking bays, with some prohibiting motorbikes from parking in certain spaces.
  • Confusing parking communications and inconsistent rules create stress for motorcyclists.
  • Rob Balls, Bikesure general manager, calls for councils to recognize the scale of the problem and address the imbalance in motorcycle parking provision.

Statistics:

  • 213,693 total parking spaces in council car parks in the South East.
  • Only 0.45% of these spaces are dedicated to motorcycles (965 spaces).
  • 246,400 registered motorcycles in the South East, with 1.06% able to park in dedicated slots (2,606 bikes).
  • 1.4 million registered motorcycles in the UK have only 10,739 (0.76%) dedicated parking spaces.
  • Roughly 34 million registered cars in the UK have dedicated parking spaces, while motorbikes are overlooked.

Sources:

  • Bikesure, the UK's largest motorcycle insurance broker.
  • Data from 362 authorities across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
  • Council-provided data, which includes estimates in some cases.
  • Bikesure's in-depth report on motorcycle parking provision in the UK.
  • Interviews with Rob Balls, Bikesure general manager.