‘There’s literally no reason not to do it’
Bike skills scheme aims to keep young riders safe – and it’s free
National Highways are working in collaboration with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to roll out a scheme aimed at improving road safety for young motorcyclists.
Under the name Project Apex, the initiative will combat several key areas of concern that contribute to the disproportionately high number of 16–19-year-olds killed and injured on UK roads each year. Going live on April 6, the Young Rider Course will offer enhanced road safety education free of charge to those who attend and may later be utilised to reform individuals involved in anti-social motorcycle behaviour.
Upon completing the single-day course, attendees will be presented with a £100 voucher to be spent on PPE at Bike Stop, who have supported the scheme from its inception.
Project leader Pete Scholes told MCN: “For young people, there’s nothing else out there. You do a CBT, but that doesn’t provide any hazard perception training. If they manage not to drop it for a few hours they’ve basically got their CBT, but then they don’t progress. If we can save one life through extra training or money towards gear, it’s worth every penny”.
Basic bike maintenance, hazard perception training using VR headsets and roadside first aid will be taught – and the importance of wearing appropriate gear will be stressed.
Outside of the classroom, youngsters will work on their slow-speed bike handling and take part in an observed road ride for those old enough to operate an A2-capacity machine. Far from piloting battered machines however, the course will make use of two brand-new Ducatis provided by Ducati UK.
Speaking with MCN, Fabrizio Cazzoli, head of Ducati UK said: “We have a history of collaboration with the police so, when this opportunity came up, we thought it was a great thing to do – we can reduce the power of our Scrambler and Monster to 35kW. And if this might prevent young people being injured, we thought, why not”?
Initial response has been positive. Laylan Fountain, an 18-year-old biker who attended a pre-launch workshop, said: “I really enjoyed today. It’s basically free knowledge – there’s literally no reason not to do it and it could save your life.”