Changes to the Motorcycle Test perhaps
Motorcycle tests could be reborn as the National Motorcyclists Council seeks changes
Now that the UK has left the EU, things are open to change in the motorcycle testing world. The National Motorcyclists Council and the BMF would like to see major changes to the motorcycle licensing system to make it simpler and safer. The NMC analysis of changes to licensing which have been introduced since 2009, appear to show that they haven't made motorcycling safer, but in fact casualty rates have increased.
The current motorcycle testing system is overly complicated and does not appear to improve safety. Similarly, UK licensing laws mirror those in Europe and follow EU directive 3DLD. This is the 3rd Driving License Directive where you need to take the A1 test to ride a 125cc motorcycle. You are then required to wait 2 years and take the A2 test in order to be able to ride a 395cc bike. After that it's another 2 years before the A test to ride any cc bike – yes quite a feat of endurance required.
The NMC is suggesting that motorcycle testing is put under the microscope and altered where necessary, to make it more suitable for UK motorcyclists. They believe that it needs to be made easier to follow, with the hope of making riding a motorcycle both safe and fun to achieve.
The idea so far, is to improve the CBT by ditching the Module 1 and Module 2 two part test and going back to a single test. This would make the whole process less stressful, simpler and with fewer hurdles to jump, while remain just as stringent. This would mean a simpler and cheaper experience for the rider encumbered with far less bureaucracy.
After the CBT, the rider will have ongoing training and travel through training upgrades and licence categories, in a progressive licensing route rather than repeat testing. Each licensing step will give them access to machines up to the minimum test vehicle specification for the next category of licence (with L-plates). Kind of continual assessment rather than exams if you want an analogy. Riders will get a lot more real riding experience as they work their way through the categories, so it should prove a safer learning route. Also, the direct access minimum age would return to 21 years old.
On balance, it does seem as though the trend is positive and this is a route back to getting more people through the motorcycle test with minimum fuss and paperwork, while maintaining safety standards. The current process seems unnecessarily complex and newbie riders could be forgiven for not being able to grasp the testing process, let alone jump through the required hoops.
Craig Carey-Clinch, NMC Executive Director, said:
“The NMC analysis also revealed that the licensing regime prior to 2009 led to significant improvements to rider safety. This was under an older set of EU regulations. When 3DLD was proposed, motorcycling organisations expressed doubt that there would be safety benefits. The UK Government agreed and did not support the changes at EU Council. Now that the UK has left the EU, there is now an opportunity to create a system that is easier for novice riders to understand, is less bureaucratic and provides greater reward for passing the test on smaller bikes – while retaining high standards and providing a boost to the motorcycle training sector.
The NMC does not criticise the motivation behind the EU’s efforts in this area – the Union has an understandable and commendable desire to improve motorcycle safety. But although much has been learned from the experience of 3DLD, it has not led to positive outcomes for the headline safety statistics in the UK. Which is why the NMC now calls for the training and testing regime to be revised.
The UK now has an opportunity to ‘reset’ motorcycle training and testing to fit the UK roads and traffic environment via national regulation. Given that the Government is currently considering future road safety policy, we believe the NMC proposals are timely and start an overdue debate. We look forward to discussing them with the DfT and the DVSA.”
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