CHANGES TO BIKE TRAINING

Between December 2016 and February 2017 the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) and DfT (Department for Transport) began a consultation about changes to motorcycle training.

The results of that initial consultation have just been made public and it would appear that at least 85% of the motorcycle training industry has shown support for improvements to the system. Some of these proposals will be implemented during 2018 (although there’s no official timescale as such at this point in time).

A further consultation will take place in late spring, which will result in further changes at a later date. Some of the finer details will need to be agreed in further consultations with the DVLA.

Proposed changes for 2018

* Update the qualification process for motorcycle instructors who would then be able to provide training for all categories of motorcycle under a new assessment scheme. * Changes to the content and structure of the CBT syllabus, which will be aligned more closely with the national standard for riding mopeds and motorcycles. Riders will be required to ‘know and understand’ rather than ‘be taught’ the different elements in the CBT syllabus. The restructured CBT will focus on:

The importance of appropriate equipment and clothing On-site training Motorcycling theory On-road practical riding skills * Strengthening the quality assurance scheme for motorcycle instructors by introducing mandatory quality assurance checks for all approved motorcycle training courses (this includes CBT, DAS and any future progressive access training courses) – not just CBT. * The introduction of a licence upgrade training course – a training option to let riders below the age of 24 ride larger motorcycles by progressive access, without having to take a further practical test. * Restrict learner riders to automatic bikes for CBT training to make sure that riders have the skills they need when riding independently. A further consultation will need to be undertaken on this to see how it will work and to look into how riders who have completed their CBT on an automatic bike can upgrade their licence to manual afterwards. * CBT certificates could be revoked if the learner rider gets six penalty points, during the two year validity period of their CBT. This means that they’ll be unable to ride until another CBT course has been successfully completed. Again, a further consultation needs to be carried out to see how it would work in conjunction with the DVLA. * A digital platform for the CBT admin process. Move the administration of CBT from its current paper-based system to a digital platform so that it would be easier to check the expiry of CBT certificates online. * Theory test before or as part of the CBT course to help trainees ride safely on busy roads.

Further consideration of the full impact of introducing the requirement to take a theory test as part of CBT will be necessary and there will be further consultation on this point during the course of this year. * An earned recognition scheme to recognise those approved training bodies that provide higher standards and facilities, and whose instructors achieve high-quality standards.

Further consultations

As already mentioned in some cases, further consultation will take place in late spring 2018 to clarify some of the above points and establish what effect they might have and how they might work in a greater degree of detail. You can read the full report and consultation findings and keep up to date as to how things are going on the gov.uk website.