The evening of Wednesday 4th April will see riders gathering in the Isle of Wight at the The Waverley Inn, Carisbrooke, PO31 1PA for the very first meeting of a new MAG group on the island.
MAG has witnessed dramatic growth all over the country in the last two years, but it has been particularly prevalent in the South and it’s great news that riders on the Isle of Wight have decided to organise themselves under the MAG banner.
The IoW was one of those areas particularly badly affected when the DSA decided to restructure the way the motorcycle test was implemented back in 2009 and closed the testing facility there, forcing those who wanted to ride, to travel to the mainland. This incurs travel time far in excess of the target maximum of 45mins, great expense and certainly inconvenience, which has led to the reduction in those entering motorcycling or considering it as a congestion busting option to car use.
As with other parts of the country that have been affected the same way, there is a knock on effect for training schools, bike shops etc.
The local MAG group will campaign for a testing facility, but also secure convenient bike parking and improved road surfaces as they introduce MAG’s Get A Grip www.getagripuk.org campaign to the local authorities.
If you live on the island, head over to Carisbrooke this Wednesday the 4th April from 7.30pm, or the first Wednesday of the month from then on.