Campaigns
Save the Isle of Wight Motorcycle Testing Centre
The Isle of Wight is one of many areas threatened with the loss of its motorcycle testing centre.
A new motorcycle test is due to be introduced in April 2009T by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The new test includes brake and swerve manoeuvres at 50 kph which equates to 31 mph.
Most of the original 225 DSA test centres offering the motorcycle riding test are within 30 mph urban environments and it would be impracticable to travel to 40 mph areas in order to conduct the tests.
Instead, DSA plans to replace most of these high street test centres with just 66 'Multi Purpose Test Centres' (MPTCs) to serve all of Great Britain. Each site requires an area of 2.5 acres and costs in the region of £1.5m to develop.
DSA believes it would be uneconomic to develop a site on the Isle of Wight, based on the low volume of motorcyclists who are taking their test, (263 in 2005/6) and the high cost of developing a suitable site on the island.
If the Isle of Wight loses it’s one and only motorcycle test centre it will mean that motorcyclists wanting to take their tests will have to take a ferry crossing to the mainland which takes 50 minutes, not counting check in times, at a minimum cost of about £24 for a return fare for a bike and rider.
The motorcyclist will then have to travel to the nearest MPTC on the mainland. If the biker is to take a direct access test then he or she will have to accompanied by a trainer increasing the cost significantly.
The situation in which the Isle of Wight finds itself highlights a UK wide problem. Many parts of England, especially in the North West, Yorkshire, East, Midlands, South and South West, as well as most of Scotland and Wales will not have a MPTC within a reasonable travelling distance.
The DSA say that most motorcyclists will not have to make a journey which would take longer than 45 minutes in time or 20 miles in distance to get to an MPTC. Clearly if the Isle of Wight were to lose its testing centre then this would not be the case.
MAG is in discussions with ministers, the DSA, the motorcycle training industry and other stakeholders to seek a solution to the problem. We need you to help with the campaign.
