Blood bikers are trained volunteers who transport urgent medical items such as blood, samples, donor breast milk and medical equipment between hospitals and healthcare sites. They operate across the UK, providing a service 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at no cost to the NHS.

Despite carrying time-critical medical supplies, blood bikers currently ride without any form of authorised emergency lighting. Under current regulations, they must comply fully with standard road traffic laws and rely solely on conventional motorcycle lighting and high-visibility clothing to be seen by other road users.

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The Case for Green Lights

A petition hosted on Change.org is calling for permission for blood bikers to use green lights on their motorcycles. The proposal is specific and limited: green lights would improve visibility only. They would not provide exemptions from speed limits, traffic signals or other road rules.

Improved visibility is a clear road safety benefit. Green lights would allow other road users to more easily recognise blood bikers as vehicles performing an urgent medical role, particularly during night-time and low-light conditions when many calls take place.

Green lights are already used in some contexts internationally and are visually distinct from blue emergency lights used by statutory services in the UK. This makes them suitable for identification without causing confusion or granting emergency powers.

The focus on the issue comes after the death of volunteer rider Andrew Rogers from Blood Bikes Wales, who died in hospital on 1 January after being involved in a collision near Llanddarog on 29 December 2025.

The petition was launched by Louise Burns-Lunt, a volunteer with Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes, with the aim of drawing attention to the issue and improving safety for riders in the future.

Protecting Volunteers Delivering Essential Services

Blood bikers volunteer their time to support hospitals and patients. Many are advanced riders who undergo additional training and regular assessment. Allowing the use of green lights would be a practical step to support their safety while they carry out this work.

The petition asks the Department for Transport to review the current restrictions and grant permission for the use of green lighting for blood biker charities. This would be a regulatory change, not a request for funding.

How to Support the Petition

Public support is essential for the petition to be considered. Signing demonstrates recognition of the role blood bikers play and the need to support them with appropriate safety measures.

Supporting this petition is a straightforward way to help improve safety for volunteers who provide an essential medical transport service across the UK.

Let’s do our bit.

• Click the link below to read the petition:
  
  Petition – Grant permission for blood bikers to use green lights

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