Motorcycle groups press the Chancellor to keep the 5p fuel duty cut beyond December

The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) and the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) have called on the government to carry the current fuel duty freeze on into 2027. The two organisations say rising pump prices are squeezing people who rely on a motorcycle or scooter for everyday travel and for work.

Our Fuel Finder data, read on 16 October 2026, puts the median price of E10 unleaded at 171.4p a litre across 1,095 forecourts. Super unleaded (E5), which some riders use in older bikes, had a median of 183.9p a litre across 759 forecourts.

The temporary 5p cut in fuel duty dates from 2022 and has since been extended to the end of 2026. Without a further decision, duty is due to rise by 3p in January and by another 2p in March.

What are the two groups asking for?

Both bodies want the existing duty arrangements to stay in place beyond December, so that riders have some certainty over their running costs into next year.

NMC Executive Director Craig Carey-Clinch said: "Keeping people mobile at an affordable cost is important both socially and economically." He said motorcycles and scooters matter most for people who need flexible personal transport, and in areas where public transport is not a realistic option. The council wants ministers to recognise the strain that higher fuel costs are putting on riders and other road users.

BMF Chairman Jim Freeman described rising prices as "another unwelcome squeeze" on people who depend on affordable personal transport. The federation welcomed the government's choice to hold the 5p reduction until the end of December, but says the Chancellor should now go further and keep it going into next year.

What riders are paying at the pump

We checked forecourt prices through the bikers.co.uk Fuel Finder on 16 October 2026, at 16 places across the UK. Only prices that a forecourt had updated within the last 14 days were counted.

• Unleaded (E10): median 171.4p a litre across 1,095 forecourts. A quarter of forecourts were at or below 168.9p, and a quarter at or above 172.9p.
• Super unleaded (E5): median 183.9p a litre across 759 forecourts. A quarter were at or below 180.9p, and a quarter at or above 188.9p.
• Diesel: median 196.9p a litre across 1,108 forecourts. A quarter were at or below 194.9p, and a quarter at or above 198.9p.

The quarter figures show that prices are not the same everywhere. Where you fill up still makes a difference to what a tank costs.

Source: bikers.co.uk Fuel Finder, 16 October 2026.

Who the groups say feels the cost most

The NMC points to riders for whom a bike is a daily necessity rather than a hobby. It names "commuters, students, younger riders and the thousands of people working in the delivery and gig economy" as those under particular pressure.

The BMF makes the same point. Its chairman said: "Motorcycling is not simply a leisure activity." He added that for hundreds of thousands of people, a motorcycle or scooter is how they reach work, college or university. For many delivery riders, he said, it is how they earn their living.

The case they make for two wheels

Both organisations argue that government should support motorcycles and scooters as an affordable way to travel, rather than making them dearer to run. Their main points:

• Motorcycles and scooters are among the most fuel-efficient forms of transport.
• They take up less road space than cars and larger vehicles.
• They can help ease congestion, especially at busy times.
• Where public transport is not a practical alternative, they give people a flexible way to get around.

The groups also warn that higher pump prices, combined with duty going back up, could lead some people to ride less simply to save money.

When does the current cut end?

The 5p reduction runs until the end of December 2026. The planned increases are staged, with 3p due in January and 2p due in March.

The decision on whether to extend the freeze rests with the Chancellor. Both groups are pressing for an answer before the first increase takes effect.

What riders should take from it

For now, the 5p cut stays in place until the end of the year, so duty will not change what you pay at the pump before January. Pump prices themselves still move with the market and vary from one forecourt to the next.

If you ride to work, study or deliver, checking prices before you fill up is the simplest way to keep costs in check. Our Fuel Finder shows recently updated prices at forecourts near you. We will report on any fuel duty announcement in our news section.