This year’s official Ride to Work Day has been confirmed for June 16, though will in fact continue for the whole week until June 22.
Each year, UK workers are encouraged for one day of the year to make every effort to travel to work by way of a PTW (powered two-wheeler) – aka a motorbike of some description. The event is put together by a variety of bodies from the motorcycle industry as a way of once again reminding the UK of the ways in which motorcycles can benefit not only the environment, but also help to reduce congestion on public roads.
This year, tens of thousands are once again expected to show their support for the event and make their mark on Ride to Work week.
Non-Riders
The idea was first put together as something of a campaign aimed primarily at non-riders. It’s all about giving a large-scale demonstration of the ways in which motorcycles can reduce traffic congestion, benefit the environment with lower CO2 emission and at the same time save the rider a ton of time and money.
According to the results of a recent study carried out in Europe, it would take no more than 10% of drivers switching to motorcycles to cut overall traffic congestion by an incredible 40%. What’s more, if 25% of car drivers made the switch to bikes, statistics suggest that 100% of congestion could be eliminated in an instant.
Stationary vehicles and slow-moving traffic have a horrific effect on the environment, while at the same time causing largely preventable stress and additional expense for those affected.
Feel-good Factor
But it’s not just about doing good either – it’s also about feeling good. A report published by the Office for National Statistics earlier this year looked into how a person’s happiness, satisfaction and anxiety levels could be affected by the method of transport they use for commuting. The results were surprising – those travelling by way of scooter or motorcycle were among the least likely of all to end their journeys with wellbeing and happiness having been detrimentally affected.
And for short journeys of up to half an hour, those travelling by motorbike were found to be generally happier people than those opting for the car, bus or bicycle.
The UK’s Motorcycle Industry Association is to implement what it’s calling a “City Challenge” as part of the Ride to Work week festivities, which it hopes will shed some much needed light on just how much time and road traffic could be saved were bikes used more often in heavily congested cities. The plan will see public transport users, car drivers and motorcyclists all setting off at the same time and heading to a predetermined location in order to measure the differences.
According to the MCI, the worst cities in the UK for congestion are Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Edinburgh and of course London.
Emma Ward
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