Commission by the Motorcycle Industry Association, the Economic Benefits of the UK Motorcycle Industry 2014 report serves to highlight the importance of the two wheel industry in the UK.
Following the release of the report recently, MCIA CEO Steve Kenward said that the document should be read by all those making policy decisions about transport: “There are now nearly twice as many motorcycles licensed (and license exempt) for the road than there were 20 years ago and the general trajectory for motorcycle use is upwards. Around a third of all new registrations are for smaller motorcycles, likely to be used for commuting, and we see this as an increasing trend with motorcycles helping to tackle congestion as part of a low carbon future.”
So what does the report tell us?
- The motorcycle industry generates £5.3 billion in net annual sales, with an added value of £2 billion.
- It employs around 58,500 people in 5,700 different businesses across the UK. There are also an additional 16,400 jobs which come from motorcycle businesses purchasing goods and services from other sectors in the UK.
- Pays over £1 billion in tax.
- Exports equal approximately £450 million per year.
- Motorcycle tourism is also estimated to support an additional 13,200 jobs in other sectors.
The report looks at the industry as five different sub sectors:
- Manufacturing – this supports around 3,000 jobs in the UK, mainly with Triumph, but also at smaller manufacturers such as Norton, CCM and Métisse to name but a few.
- Distribution and Retail
- Repair, Servicing and Maintenance
- Sports and Leisure
- Support Services, including Finance and Insurance
The industry supports more jobs than a number of large UK sectors including:
- Taxi Driving (36,000)
- Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (50,000)
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Activities (46,000)
- Textile Manufacturing (47,000)
There are also a number of key social benefits provided by the industry including:
- The voluntary Blood Biker service, which saves the NHS millions of pounds per year.
- The use of motorcycles by the emergency services, allowing them to cut through traffic.
- The addressing of ‘transport poverty’ through the Wheel to Work scheme.
The report also states the in the UK, the motorcycle sector has demonstrated resilience in the face of tough conditions during the economic downturn. Motorcycle retail and distribution was hit in line with other retail sectors during the downturn, with sales falling, although exports actually increased slightly. Registrations are now on the up, with around 10% growth in the sales of new motorcycles in 2014, and similar figures for the first quarter of 2015.
The motorcycle market is on the up!
We’re ready! Are you?
