From 1st March 2001 the UK's million-plus motorcyclists are to be asked to stump-up £65 to licence their machines for 12 months - an increase of £5.

You may not think this is much, however, when taking recent decreases for other modes into account it is obvious that bikers are about to get a raw deal from the party that promised to get 'Bike to Basics'!

The Government has recently:

reduced Vehicle Excise Duty (Road Tax) for cars, extending the threshold for VED from 1200cc to 1500cc, backdated to 1st November 2000 - £250 million;

cut lorry VED by 50% - £300 million per year;

abolished VED on Tractors and other agricultural vehicles;

supported the haulage industry - £100 million;

put a cash freeze in all road-fuel and other fuel duties - £560 million in 2001-02

A GRAND TOTAL OF OVER £1,000 MILLION!

SO WHAT ABOUT BIKERS THEN GORDON?

There are approximately 600,000 motorcycles in the 'top' VED band. Increasing the road tax by £5 will hardly impact on the overall Treasury revenues!

What's £3million when you have just given away £1000 million? Especially when you should be promoting 'greener' alternatives to the car!

TO GORDON BROWN WE SAY CUT THE CRAP, CUT THE TAX!

Motorcycle Action Group is calling on every right-minded person in the UK to write to Gordon Brown and demand that this space-efficient, fuel-efficient and congestion-beating form of personal powered transport is fairly treated!

CUT THE CRAP, CUT THE TAX!

Please keep all letters polite!

The Right Honourable James Gordon Brown
Chancellor of The Exchequer
The Treasury
Parliament Street
London SW1P 3AG

Tel. 020 7270 5000

email: public-enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk