Of course the MCIA would make this suggestion, you say. Maybe so, but latest research has shown that there could be wisdom to their motorcycle enthusiasm.

Many people are provided with company cars for their daily commute, visiting clients, or for traveling to and from other business locations. This method of transport, which is often seen as a company perk, can also be a hindrance. Rising levels of congestion means that employees are often sat in traffic for large parts of their day, and time wasted on the roads costs businesses money.

According to the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) traffic volumes across the UK network are set to rise by 46% by 2035, with 54% longer average delays than 2003. In a report by the CBI entitled Bold Thinking: Roads Report, they state that:

In other words, the road network within the UK is not only important to its everyday commuters but to businesses as well, with the efficiency of transport within a business being a key aspect in its potential. The UK economy is already losing up to £8 billion each year from congestion on the roads which, according to the CBI, could potentially rise to £22 billion by 2025! Motorcycles have the benefit of taking less time to move through traffic, as well as taking up less space on the road. If businesses increased the number of motorcycles they used for fleet transport they would actively be helping in reducing traffic levels.

The MCIA's CEO Steve Kenward states that:

In a Belgium study on the impact of an increased share of motorcycles in commuting traffic it was found that when only 10% of car drivers swap to a motorcycle or scooter, congestion was cut by 40% for all road users. When 25% of drivers swapped, all congestion was eliminated. If only a small per cent of businesses switched to using motorcycles for fleet transport, it would benefit them as well as everyday road users.

Not only do businesses benefit from time saved on the roads, they lower their running costs and CO2 emissions.

Honda has already stepped up to the rising demand for business motorcycles with their introduction of a specialist motorcycle fleet dealer network last month. Compromising of six existing Honda motorcycle dealers, their new aim will be to target prospective companies by promoting the merits of motorcycling to their local business market.

Nick Campolucci, head of motorcycles for Honda (UK) states:

Will we see other motorcycle manufacturers opening up motorcycle fleet dealerships in the near future? Perhaps so. And will we see businesses taking on new methods of transport with as much popularity as the MCIA predict? Kenward points out a number of businesses that have already reaped the benefits of adopting two-wheeled transport such as the AA breakdown services, the police, or the ambulance service, where getting to an accident as quickly as possible could be a matter of life or death.

The medical profession is certainly a good example of how motorcycles can improve business productivity and save money. The 'blood runners', or SERV, - a non-profit organisation that works to support the NHS by transporting emergency blood between hospitals  - has helped to save the NHS £300,000. Not only that but by using motorcycles they can transport their life saving packages far quicker than they could in a car.

There's no denying that the the Emergency Services benefit from the use of motorcycles but emergencies don't have to be restricted to just that. Companies that provide services such as emergency plumbing could benefit from the use of a motorcycle, where getting to someone's home as quickly as possible is considered a huge bonus both for the plumber, and for the person who's home has a leaking pipe.

Motorcycle fleet transport is already popular with many businesses as it provides a mode of transport that is cheap to run, less affected by congestion and can avoid congestion charges. Motorcycle courier services are also widely used, with currently around 20,000 motorcycle couriers working in the UK out of the 100,000 courier workers in total.

Kenward states that:

With the help of Honda, and perhaps more manufacturers to come, there has never been a better time for companies to add motorcycles and scooters onto their vehicle fleet or incorporate them into their business. Whether this happens remains to be seen.

Do you run a business or work for a company that uses motorcycles for fleet transport? How has this benefited you and do you think the MCIA are right in their suggestion that motorcycles are the future for companies? Email us your thoughts at [email protected]