The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) Calls For Improved Motorcycle Licence Training and Testing To Make Acquiring A Licence Less Complex and Costly, Whilst Delivering Enhanced Rider Safety

The BMF calls on the future Government to make the current motorcycle licensing regime easier to understand and access; removing the current complexity, repetition and high costs, while maintaining the UK’s high road safety standards in training. The BMF seeks the support and action of all riders to deliver this key priority for UK motorcycling.

The BMF has been lobbying hard over a number of years for improvements to the UK’s current motorcycle licence training and testing regime in order to deliver easier access to motorcycling and improved safety outcomes for all motorcyclists. The planned gains in motorcycle safety under the current licensing regime have clearly not materialised with the number of riders killed or seriously injured on the UK’s road network remaining at unacceptably high levels. There is a pressing need to instigate a process of reform now to put in place a new testing and training regime which can deliver significantly enhanced safety standards for motorcyclists who remain amongst the most vulnerable of all road user groups.

In our meetings with Ministers and officials, and in separate meetings with opposition parties and with various road safety organisations the BMF, along with our key partner the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), has pressed consistently for an urgent review of the current motorcycle licensing and training regime to be carried out. The process of reform needs to start now without further delay in order to deliver an improved licensing and training regime. The NMC’s paper, “A Fresh Approach To The Motorcycle Licence” which the BMF has contributed to, sets out a full and comprehensive range of proposals for the future of motorcycle licensing and makes clear the need for a future Government to deliver improved pre and post-test motorcycle training as a priority.

You can find more on the BMF’s priorities to secure the future of motorcycling as we head towards the General Election and beyond in the Manifesto “Motorcycling Matters” which you can access via the main article on the BMF’s website. In the run up to the election we are seeking to get all Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) to sign up to these priorities by getting them to sign our Motorcycling “Pledge” to support the future of motorcycling.

We are urging all riders to get involved in the campaign and to ask their PPCs to sign the Pledge to confirm their support to the Manifesto priorities. We need the support and action of all riders now to deliver a bright, sustainable and safe future for UK motorcycling.

Written by Paul Morgan CBE – BMF Government Relations Executive

Top image courtesy of The Ride Academy