Author: Oli Rushby Posted: 11 Mar 2015
The Government has released plans intended to ‘improve’ Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) for motorcyclists and is seeking feedback through a public consultation.
Last December, a report commissioned by the Department for Transport into the effectiveness of CBT courses recommended a number of changes be implemented in order to make motorcycling safer for new riders.
As the law stands, CBT tests can be taken from 16 years old and once passed, a rider can ride a motorcycle up to 125cc on the road unaccompanied with ‘L’ plates for two years.
The proposals come after statistics showed there were between 7,000 and 8,000 road collisions involving motorcyclists or moped riders aged 16-26 each year from 2009 to 2012. 58% of these incidents involved riders aged between 16 and 19.
The plans proposed by the Government cover five main changes to the existing system without the need to alter legislation. This means some of the initial report’s tougher suggestions, such as introducing a mandatory theory test, have been put on the backburner for now.
The changes proposed are:
1. Align training with the National Standard for Driver and Rider Training framework and develop training materials to reflect those standards
How it’ll be done:
2. Ensure training is tailored to suit the individual learning needs and skill levels of each trainee. This includes theoretical knowledge and ensuring that during the on the road ride trainees have demonstrated their competence to ride unaccompanied
How it’ll be done:
3. Improve public knowledge about CBT and improve awareness of what they can expect from their instructor
How it’ll be done:
4. Revise the standards check so that it supports a risk based approach to quality assurance and earned recognition for good trainers, which they can use to promote and endorse their skills
How it’ll be done:
5. Revise the qualification process for motorcycle instructors
How it’ll be done:
The plan also references a number of future considerations, including:
To have your say on the proposed changes, click here.