MOTORCYCLES look set to become increasingly attractive to businesses searching for congestion-busting transport options. The bike market is experiencing a sales boom and the Motor Cycle Industry association (MCI) is expecting the growth to continue this year, partly in response to the Government's transport white paper due out in May.

It predicts that specific concessions for bikes will enable the industry to exploit the market for bikes as an economic and efficient alternative to cars, and says many local authorities and businesses are already becoming aware of the advantages of two-wheeled transport.

Avon Council, for instance, allows bikes to use bus lanes, while Birmingham City Council and Somerset County Council encourage employees who have motorbike licences to use motorcycles as an alternative to cars on short journeys. Many companies, such as Boots and Hewlett-Packard, offer free parking and changing facilities for riders in order to make it easier for them to use bikes or mopeds to commute to work.

MCI executive director Tom Waterer said: 'The public and politicians are beginning to assess alternatives to the car and the motorcycle compares favourably.'