xsmotorcycleschool.co.uk blog

Dateline Wednesday 9th June 2010

It was announced today that a review has been ordered into the Motorcycle Test system.

Recently released figures show that since the implementation of the new system last year the number of tests being taken has plummeted to a half of the previous years figure and that there have been around 300 reported accidents during “Module 1″, the controversial new part of the Test that is done on a safe enclosed yard at one of the new specialised Multi Purpose Test Centre of which there are 45 open to cover the entire British Isles.

The review was ordered following a meeting between Road Safety Minister Mike Penning and representatives from the BMF, MAG and the Motorcycle Industry Association.

The Dft news release is at http://tinyurl.com/392xepf

The news release from the BMF is at http://tinyurl.com/2wqulz3.

The news release from MAG is at http://tinyurl.com/38pymer

The Department of Transport state that “The precise scope and terms of reference of the review will be determined following discussions with motorcycle groups and other interested parties, with the aim of concluding the review by the autumn.” and are asking for any views to be sent in to them by e-mail before 31st July 2010 at :- RUSD4consultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk

The Transport Committee of the House of Commons has today (March 23rd) published a report castigating the DSA and the DfT for the way in which they brought in the new motorcycle test which is based on European legislation, the “Second EU Driving Licence Directive”.

The full report may be accessed at this link.

In the full report it reveals that up to the end of January there had been 212 reportable accidents since the start of Module 1 tests, 194 of which had been in the high speed swerve and emergency stop “exercises”. This causes the committee to comment that “The rate of incidents and accidents occurring in Module 1 tests need to be monitored carefully, and the DSA needs to react without delay if incident levels do not decline”

There’s a lot to read so if you want to just jump to the final “Conclusions and Recommendations” page then try this link where you find comments such as “There is little doubt that the Government has exceeded what was necessary to comply with the EU Directive”, “bizarre”, “confusing for candidates”, “The off-road motorcycle test effectively bars candidates from adapting their riding to reflect the prevailing weather, road and other circumstances” among others.

You may gather that the report does not exactly sing the praises of the DSA!

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.

(1) Introduction
(2) New DSA Bike Test Part 1
(3) New DSA Bike Test Part 2
(4) New DSA Bike Test Part 3
(5) New DSA Bike Test Part 4
(6) New DSA Bike Test Part 5
(7) New DSA Bike Test Part 6
(8) New DSA Bike Test Part 7
(9) New DSA Bike Test Part 8
(10) New DSA Bike Test Part 9
(11) New DSA Bike Test Part 10
(12) New DSA Bike Test Part 11
(13) New DSA Bike Test Part 12
(14) New DSA Bike Test Part 13

(These files are DSA copyright)

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 27^th April, with bookings available from 30^th 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)

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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 :-

1. Book and pass a “Written Theory Test”

2. Book and pass an “Off Road Manoeuvring Test”

3. 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 British Motorcyclists Federation has issued this news release today on the new Practical Motorcycle Riding Test and the proposed changes to it:- BMF News Release

These changes are intended to come in before the commencement of the new test on Monday 27th April this year

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?

Further to my last posting here are some links to the official communiques from the DSA on the subject.

No.1: “Extra Time Granted - - -”

No.2: “Improving Road Safety - - -”

No.3: “2009 Motorcycle Test”

No.4: “Important Information - - -”

No.5: This one is a link to a listing of all the projected test centres that you can click through on to find when/if they are opening.

No.6: This one gives their explanation of the “Benefits of the MPTC’s”, notice particularly item number 6 under “Better Service to the Customer”.

Dateline Thursday 11th September

Word has just come through that the changes to the Practical Riding Test that were due to be implemented from Monday 29h September have been postponed .

There is the message below on the DSA website to this effect:-

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Latest News

Extra time granted for new motorcycle test

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has announced a delay of six months to the introduction of the new practical motorcycle test, originally scheduled for September 29, 2008.

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There has been controversy as to the introduction of this test due to the fact that only just over half of the proposed test centres capable of delivering it would be open by the due date.

There are currently over 250 test centres available for motorcycle tests, not quite 50% of the total number of test centres, and this would have reduced to only 39 centres on the 29th of this month, as listed in the previous posting of this blog, with another 27 centres projected so cover in some parts of the country is sparse.

There is no word as to whether the £20 fee increase scheduled begin on 29th September to pay for the new test is also to be deferred.