Motorists turn to two wheels to keep themselves on the road

With the rising costs of motoring due to fuel prices rises and taxation increases, scooters and motorbikes are becoming more popular as motorists turn to more 'green', cost effective modes of transport.

This is the view from new research published today by the Post Office. The study of 6,146 adults taken at the beginning of April found that motorcycle traffic has increased by around 37% during the last 10 years with 1.2 million bikers* currently on the roads.

According to the study, 29% of those people who had motorcycles said that they have a motorbike because it was cheaper than using a car.

A spokesman for the Post Office commented that it was clear that increasing car running costs and environmental concerns made motorbikes and scooters an attractive alternative to running cars. They predict that the number of motorbikes on the roads looks to increase further in the coming years.

* Source: Department for Transport. Compendium of Motorcycling Statistics: 2007 Edition