Practical Test Delayed by 6 months

DRIVING STANDARDS AGENCY News Release (42/0 issued by COI News Distribution

Service 11 September 2008

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has announced a delay of six months to the introduction of the new practical motorcycle test, originally scheduled for September 29, 2008.

The move comes after the Agency considered representations from the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), the Motorcycle Rider Training Association (MRTA) and other motorcycle interests.

The new implementation date will now be Monday, March 30, 2009.

The decision to defer implementation will allow the DSA to carry on delivering motorcycle tests from a wider range of centres whilst working with motorcycle groups and to find a suitable solution for providing the new test service in problem locations.

Driving Standards Agency chief executive Rosemary Thew said: "Increasing road safety for motorcyclists has always been a top priority and it remains so. We listened carefully to the concerns put to us and this deferment acknowledges those concerns.

"None of us has lost sight of the fact that the aim of the new motorcycle test is to improve road safety for this important group of road users. This extra six months will give additional opportunity to find extra locations that we need to deliver the new test and potentially address gaps in service provision which have been highlighted to us."

I have just had a phone call from my motorcycle training school to inform me of this and to tell me that my test on the 7th Octocber will now be the old style test. It has made my day

[Drew Carey]

Bout time they woke up and announced this, been obvious for sometime that they were not going to be ready. I read it one of the bike magazines that those learning at Silverstone would have had to of done a 100+ mile round trip to the nearest ready test centre!!!!

Reminds me, I must talk to Sherly about becoming a instructor.

hhhmmmm was always going to be the case...how long has this new test been common knowleage and how long has there been to prepare?...i see a further extension in 6 months time as still wont be ready IMO

i think it has more to do with the reports surrounding instructors falling off whilst carrying out the required "high speed " manouver..

Bloody Stupid..

really?? lol...madness!!!

Some website had a load of instructors invited to try out the new style test , the "Reviewer" said he barely passed himself , for those of you doing the test ....... get a wriggle on and get it done ASAP .

When i was doing my lesson's and test my instrutor had booked a 3 week holiday for the end of September as he was unable to book the 'new' style test yet.

But he could do with the holiday he hadn't had a day off since it was first said about the new test as he had been that busy. He managed to fit me for my lesson's, (wanted to get it done before rule changes) and i was told that if i had failed it would have been ok as his wife had 4 test's booked on each Wednesday & Friday of September (they were well prepared).

As others have said it was about time that they saw sense that it wasn't going to work yet. If they still wish to bring in the new changes lets hope they have everything sorted ready for end of March.

Originally Posted by lily

If they still wish to bring in the new changes lets hope they have everything sorted ready for end of March.

Or rather, let's hope that they don't!!

No way will tey be ready. If they're building, then there's best part of a month shutdown over Crimbo. Plus all the fitting out and testing of systems etc that needs doing. It's completely unrealistic.