The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) has expressed concern that the Government’s proposal to ‘fast track’ pilots of self-driving taxi and bus-like services could risk compromising the safety of motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users, unless the Autonomous Vehicles Act and its key ‘Statement of Safety Principles’ is fully implemented first.
This month, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, announced that ‘the Government will fast-track pilots to Spring 2026, introducing self-driving commercial pilots on England’s roads. Firms will be able to pilot small scale ‘taxi- and bus-like’ services without a safety driver for the first time – which could be available to members of the public to book via an app – before a potential wider rollout when the full Automated Vehicles Act becomes law from the second half of 2027.’
NMC says that self driving taxis must not be ‘fast tracked’ until a full set of motorcycle focussed safety principles are in place as part of Autonomous Vehicles Act.
