To mark World Environment Day (5 June), we’ve spoken to Peter Gregory, the ACU’s Environmental Steward, chair of our sustainability panel, and a member of the FIM’s International Sustainability Commission, to hear about the role motorcycle sport has to play in protecting the environment – and the collective responsibility we all have to safeguard it for generations to come.
In this Q&A, Peter talks about the ACU’s work, the evolving pressures on our sport, and what success looks like when the environment is taken seriously.
Q: What does your role as Environmental Steward at the ACU involve?
A: “I chair the ACU’s sustainability panel. I’ve been involved since the early 1990s when the first Environment Code was developed, and we’ve updated it every year since. We started off almost as the ‘policemen’, because people didn’t see why any of this mattered. But as tracks and events have been lost, people have realised it’s in their own interest to engage. Now, we focus on helping people understand the value of protecting their venue and the sport we all love.”
Q: Why is looking after the environment such an important issue for motorcycle sport?
A: “If we don’t give environmental sustainability the attention it deserves, the risks are very real for our sport. Look at Belgium – it was the powerhouse of motocross, and it’s now lost 95% of its circuits. That was mainly through local authority and community pushback. The sport assumed it was untouchable. But the reality is, once confidence is lost with important stakeholders, venues disappear – and they rarely come back. That’s why the ACU places such an emphasis on looking after the environment we use. We want kids to be able to ride in 25 years’ time, on the same land, under responsible conditions.”
Q: What are the key principles of the ACU’s Environment Code?
A: “We’ve built it around three pillars. First, the environment – traditional stuff like protecting wildlife, avoiding pollution, and managing sound. Second, people – working with local communities, making sure events are acceptable and don’t cause disruption. And third, financial sustainability – making sure we don’t demand things organisers can’t afford. If any one of those pillars collapse, you risk losing everything. Sustainability isn’t just about the climate – it’s about making events viable, repeatable, and welcome.”
Q: What practical steps are being taken to reduce the environmental impact of events?
A: “There are three big areas we’ve focused on. First, sound levels – especially in disciplines like Speedway where events happen weekly. Since 2015, we’ve reduced the average noise by huge margins. Today’s four-bike grid makes the same noise as one bike from 2014. That’s down to changes in silencers and the way we test them.
“Second is the environment mat. It’s a simple piece of kit – absorbent top layer, impervious bottom – but it makes a big difference. If there’s an oil or coolant leak, the fluid is captured and secured. Everyone working on a bike must use one.
“Third is bike washing. At championship level, water is captured and removed properly. But at grassroots level, it’s harder. We’re still working on that. In some national parks, you’re not even allowed to let grey water touch the ground – so clean water is brought in, used, then collected and taken away.”
Q: How are riders and officials being brought on board with this?
A: “We’re training every Clerk of the Course – over 4,500 people – to understand and apply the Environment Code in a practical, locally-informed way. They’re best placed to know if, say, there’s a church service nearby, or where to put the start area to minimise noise. We also run national and regional seminars, and we’re developing online learning modules – not long theory lessons, just short reminders: ‘don’t forget to do this’, ‘remember that’. It’s about building habits.”
Q: Are attitudes among the motorcycle sport community changing?
A: “Yes – especially at the top level. People understand that if they don’t comply, they won’t get invited back. I saw it at the recent Enduro GP in Wales; the bike wash system failed, and teams took their bikes to a town car wash rather than washing them in the pits. That shows understanding. At a local level, there’s still a journey – especially with riders who only race occasionally and might have older equipment. But we’re moving in the right direction.”
Q: What do you see as the biggest risks if the sport doesn’t embrace sustainability?
A: “Track loss. Public opposition. Even reputational damage caused by other less responsible permitting bodies. If the sport as a whole gets seen as careless, we all suffer. We’ve worked hard to build trust with landowners – especially in forests – and they now see us as a responsible partner. But that means we carry the risk too. If something goes wrong, it’s on us. That’s why it matters. We need to take responsibility and safeguard our sport for future generations. That’s vitally important.”