The number of scooters registered with the DVLA rose by 12% in 2011. Photograph: Alamy
Motorists sick of rising transport costs have been trading in their cars for a two-wheeled alternative, with industry figures showing an unprecedented rise in the number of scooters sold in 2011.
Figures from the Motorcyle Industry Association (MCIA) show the number of new scooters registered with the DVLA rose by approximately 12% in 2011, with a 20% rise in the number of larger 125cc motorcyle scooters registered.
Peugeot said it had seen scooter sales rise by 46% in 2011, with a 62% increase in Greater London, while Honda – which manufactures the most popular 125cc model on the market, the PCX 125 – has seen sales increase by 39%. In 2010 it sold 765; in 2011 it sold more than 2,000.
By contrast, almost all other categories of two-wheeled motorised vehicles showed a drop in registrations, by as much as 32% in the case of sport motorbikes, according to the MCIA figures. In the previous year, to December 2010, sales of all types of motorcycles fell. In that period the number of scooters sold also fell, by 9%.
Gary Thomas, editorial assistant at Scootering magazine, said: "The last time I remember such huge scooter sales figures was about 10-12 years ago when new automatic technology meant that all manufacturers came out with a wealth of new models.
"I suspect this time it is about cost. It is often two-car households who have decided that one of them will trade their car in for a scooter. The congestion charge also has an impact on people's decision, as does the price of petrol."
A spokesman for Peugeot said the overriding factor driving customers into its showrooms was the price of petrol and diesel. "An average small capacity scooter is twice as economical as a car for fuel, so you can instantly halve your motoring costs," he said.
A rise in the cost of car parking at train stations has also contributed to people's decision to switch to two wheels, he said. Southeastern trains has put up prices at 28 of its station car parks by up to 30%, while East Midlands, Southwestern trains and First Capital Connect have also increased their prices. This follows a 5.9% rise in the cost of a train ticket, which came in for all rail passengers earlier this month.
"Not only have prices gone up at stations, but there is also often insufficient parking," the Peugeot spokesman said. "If people switch to two wheels they can often park for free, or find somewhere else nearby to park."
The number of manual gearbox "boy racer" style mopeds registered with the DVLA fell in 2011 by more than 20%, while the number of registered scooter style mopeds rose slightly. This is because smaller engine vehicles have traditionally been bought by teenagers and funded by their parents. "Parents are not willing to do that anymore," the Peugeot spokesman said.
Saving a fortune
John Sjolund and his wife Susan Moolman invested in a Vespa scooter eight months ago. The couple bought it second hand and say it has saved them a fortune in commuting costs. They claim they spend about £5 a month on petrol, but use it every day in London.
"We live in Fulham [south-west London] and would sometimes spend an hour-and-a-half on the tube a day going to various meetings. It was depressing and expensive," Moolman explains. "We thought about getting a car but that is such an expensive option."
Now the couple share the scooter, with Moolman sometimes taking the tube and Sjolund picking her up in the evening. "The night before the royal wedding we drove through Leicester Square and past Buckingham Palace to look at the wedding preparations," Moolman says. "It feels like such a great way to see the city."
The Mail online today featured a nice photo from Nenthead of captioned " Easy does it: Cross country motorcyclists ride carefully in a line as they make their way up a track in Nenthead, Cumbria"
