6 Motorcycle safety
Report on the new European motorcycle
test
41. In March 2010 our predecessor Committee published
its report into the new European motorcycle test, which changed
the way in which motorcycle driver competence was assessed in
the UK. There were numerous criticisms of these new arrangements,
particularly the decision to move part of the test off-road.
As a result, the Government initiated a review of the test in
June 2010, with a view to redesigning the test once more.[118]
This revised test may be implemented in some areas from next year.[119]
It will involve candidates moving back on-road for their test
and as a result a number of the off-road test centres developed
for the European test will be redundant.[120]
The capital cost of these centres was £71 million.[121]
42. We encountered real concerns that lessons
had not been learnt from this debacle. The Motor Cycle Industry
Association warned that the same problems could arise with future
European directives without proper evaluation of this "mess,
complication and bureaucracy".[122]
Given the long-running difficulties experienced by the department
in producing a clear and coherent strategy for motorcycle training,
we recommend that the DfT
should, in its reply to this report, explain what lessons it has
learnt from this episode and how it will go about implementing
future European directives on the subject of driver or rider training
without undue delay.
Government response
43. We have not yet received a response from
the Government to the 2010 report. This is despite assurances
from Mr Penning that the DfT would produce the response "as
soon as we can"[123]
or even "before the recess".[124]
The department has provided some information about its progress
in this area.[125]
We are prepared to wait for a formal response to this report
until the Government's policy is finally decided, but in the meantime,
we recommend
that the department write to us on a quarterly basis to explain
progress in this area.
118 Strategic Framework p53 Back
119
Q 61 Back
120
Q 374 Back
121
Work of the Driving Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency, HC 1610-i,Q20 (Rosemary Thew) Back
122
Q 61 Back
123
Q373 Back
124
Q 378 Back
125
Letter from Mr Penning, dated 27 March 2012, published on Transport
Committee website Back
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