A number of cities and towns across Britain now allow motorcycles to use the bus lanes.
This idea has also been promoted as desireable by the Government.
Peugeot Scooters are running a poll on their website proposing
that bikes should be allowed in all bus lanes nationwide, which
would be both easier to understand and to police than the current
situation.
To date they have received around 3000 positive responses already
and have asked for help in gaining as many votes as possible,
after all the more votes in favour the better.
Could you spare a few seconds to vote? It’s a simple yes/no and
you are not asked for personal details,.
On You Tube I found a series of clips taking you through the new test.
Looks as though it may be from an official DSA source, but it has been made before they decided to split the test into two parts, what they are calling “Modules”.
Anyway there are 13 of these clips so here are the links to them, once each clip has finished running, just click on the “Back” button on your browser to return to this blog posting:-
(Added 15-5-09)
This has definitely been taken from the DSA video and so is “Crown Copyright” material.
Further to the “Clinics” they ran last year, Northumbria Police are once again running their ‘Cornering Clinics’ in 2009
This time here are to be eight events, four being held in April, and a further four in August/September.
A “Clinic” starts at 10:00am with a presentation and Q&A session, this is followed by the option of a free observed ride with an observer from one of the advanced riding organizations.
If you wish to attend one of these events, then all you need to do is turn up on the day.
Dates
04 April 2009: Morpeth
05 April 2009: Washington
18 April 2009: Morpeth
19 April 2009: Washington
29 August 2009: Morpeth
30 August 2009: Washington
05 September 2009: Morpeth
06 September 2009: Washington
Morpeth venue
Northumberland County Council Offices,
County Hall,
Morpeth,
Northumberland,
NE61 2EF
Further to their “Consultation Document” the DSA are going ahead with their changes to the motorcycle test.
Their new “new test” is now to commence on 27th April, with bookings available from 30th March, after which it will be necessary to first take and pass the initial “off road” test at one of their official “Off Road Manoeuvring Areas”
(Click on maps for an enlarged view)
.
Having succeeded with this you can then book your “On Road Test”, not necessarily at the same “Driving Test Centre” because with splitting the test it has been decided to offer the “On Road” part at a number of the older Driving Test Centres as well as at the new MPTC’s.
As can be seen from the maps, if you live to the North of the Hull to Liverpool line, cover for the first part of the test is “sparse” and you are still faced with a l-o-n-g ride to a Test Centre but things are a little better for the second part.
So the procedure to a Full motorcycle licence after taking a CBT will be to :-
Book and pass a “Written Theory Test”
Book and pass an “Off Road Manoeuvring Test”
Book and pass a “Practical On-Road Riding Test”
In spite of a majority of the Consultation’s replies being to the contrary the DSA still intend to raise the test fee, so that the fee will have increased for a motorcycle test by 52% while in the same period the car test fee will only have increased by 12.5%.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get a pay increase of 12.5% this year, never mind one of 52%! it’s better than working for a Bank!
The DSA have released a consultation paper on their proposed changes to the new motorcycle test, before the new test is even implemented.
There is a Press Release on their website at “Consultation Paper” about this and they are also proposing to increase the test fee.
Their original intention was to have the test as a single event, both off and on road parts being done in a single session..
The proposed changes are to split the test into 2 “Modules”:-
Module 1 is to be the “Specified Manoeuvres Test”
Module 2 is to be the “Road Riding Test”
You must pass the first “Module” before you can take the second and each part is separately charged for.
There is also a proposal to increase the cost of the test from next October(2009) to £90:50.
Taken with the increase from £60:00 to £80:00 this September(2008) it will mean an increase of 51% in the cost of a motorcycle test. (In the same period the cost of a car test will have increased by 12%, to £63:50 so a motorcycle will cost half as much again as a car test.)
As this is an “on-line consultation excercise” they are asking for your comments, the link on page “Download Paper” will take you to another page on their site where you can download a copy of their “Consultation Paper” and also a “mail-in” reply form.
On the same page however is a link to an “Online Response Form” to allow you to pass on your views to them direct online.
The DSA have a ‘Performance Target’ that “In order to deliver the new EU motorcycle test [the DSA must] develop a network of off-road manoeuvering areas for motorcyclists; and by 29th September 2008, ensure that 51% or more of the population of Great Britain is within travelling time of 45 minutes to an MPTC or within 20 miles distance of an MPTC.”
The attached map shows those new test centres scheduled to be open as of the beginning of 2009.
They also state that “To date DSA has acquired 44 sites”. (There are 66 planned)
In addition they have another 2 for which they do not have planning permission.
A point to consider:- If a government body such as the DSA cannot find enough manoeuvering areas to run the tests, then what chance do the Training Bodies have of finding suitable practice areas?
