The government’s consultation on bike licence reform completed its first stage last month, and the three major industry bodies have published a group response to the Department for Transport in a bid to secure a sensible reorganisation of the current stupidly complicated system of training and licensing.
The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) and the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) made a comprehensive submission that, they say, will improve safety and reform the complex licensing system without creating new barriers for riders.
The response says that change must be “holistic”, meaning it must cover a broad range of issues – improving training, progression and safety outcomes, while supporting easily accessible and affordable mobility, decarbonisation and access to employment. In addition, the group says that if legal access to mopeds or motorcycles stays as it is, there is a real risk that users will migrate to illegal and unregulated alternatives, including high-powered electric bikes.
There are several requirements contained in the industry response. There’s a call for “an incentivised progression pathway from CBT through to full licence acquisition”, giving learners a reason to move away from continual CBT renewals and onto a proper test pass. The group wants a review of the current two-part test, favouring a single test event to simplify the process. It also says a re-assessment of how electric L-category machines are licenced will simplify regulation and improve the take-up of low-emission bikes. And the industry also wants to see a proper legislative accommodation for low-speed electric mobility such as e-scooters, to address the epidemic of people using currently illegal machinery and to move young riders, in particular, into properly regulated personal travel systems.
The NMC’s executive director, Craig Carey-Clinch, said: “After decades of positive progress on motorcycle safety, the current regime, introduced between 2009 and 2013, has been implicated in an increase in rider fatalities and the stalling of safety progress in other areas since then. The proposed reforms are very welcome, but the scope of the review needs to be much broader if we are to see the restart of meaningful improvements in motorcycle safety.
“Recognition of the role of the testing, training and licensing regime plays in broader mobility choice will also assist efforts of the motorcycle and road safety sectors to reduce illegal riding and lead towards the creation of a Safe System for motorcycle use. We call on the government not to waste this opportunity.”
Tony Campbell, the MCIA’s CEO, said: “This consultation represents a significant opportunity to modernise the current licensing system that, over the years, has become increasingly complex, expensive and has failed to improve road safety.
“Whilst improving road safety must remain central to any reform, changes to the licensing system must also encourage and support accessibility and affordability. Currently, gaining a licence under existing rules is financially out of reach for many.
“Any reform must not create additional barriers, as this will only push riders towards illegal and unregulated alternatives, which is already evident in many towns and cities across the country.
“The government’s objective must be to develop a licensing, training and testing framework that produces better- trained riders leading to improved safety, encourage progression through the various licence categories whilst positively supporting how people can move and travel in today’s society.”