Once again the Introduction of the New Motorcycle Test is a topic for conversation for Instructors and clients of 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff.

Due to be introduced last September, it was postponed as the DSA had failed to meet the requirements for the building of the New Multi Purpose Test Centres.  (This meant that large areas of the Country would have been without a Motorcycle Test facility).   So the test was postponed until the end of March 2009.

Well March is here and still the DSA are not much further advanced and still students in certain areas of the Country face a long journey to take a test under the new scheme.

So the DSA master plan?  Split the new test into 2 separate modules.  Now the DSA think that this may be a good idea as it allows them to build New Multi Purpose Test Centres in areas where the surrounding roads ARE NOT suitable for the On Road section of the test.  (This, they say has allowed them to get sites into areas which otherwise planning permission or use of the surrounding roads was an obstacle.)

What this means to our students is that they have to take the first ‘Off Road’ part of the test on one particular day and return later, on another day – possibly for some at a different Test Centre – to carry out the On Road part of the test.

1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff has access to a choice of 2 New Multi Purpose Test Centres and we are told that we fall (luckily apparently) within the DSA guidelines for access to a New Test Centre.

Our choice is Newport or Swansea.  Not too far away really, but you try getting to Swansea from Cardiff – with ‘L’ Plates, not making use of the M4 Motorway.

Also, as the DSA say that the roads surrounding the Newport Test Centre ARE suitable for the on road section we will not be given a choice of taking the On Road part of the test at a ‘Local’ test centre, such as Cardiff, Bridgend or Merthyr, as at present.

Considering that the ‘Off Road’ part of the New Test will take about 8 minutes if done in conjunction with the on road part (all in one go), we have been given an estimated time now for the Split 2 Module Test as about 20-30 minutes, to allow for the admin either side of the start and finish.

What else does this mean for our Students.  MORE MONEY.  Off course it does.  You wouldn’t expect any else from the DSA- they don’t put their prices down.  An increase of the cost of the test is due to be introduced in October 2009.  Rising from£80 as it is now to over £90 (Yes… just for the test)

In a recent DSA Consulatation I protested that the increase implemented late last year (supposedely to cover the cost of the new test) which raised the test fee from £60 to the now £80 jumped the gun a bit.  As the new test wasn’t introduced last September then the test fee should have been dropped back to the £60.  The DSA have declined this kind offer, saying that they still need to pay for the New Test Centre. (‘They’ need to….no no ‘You’ need to – It’s your money they are keeping and spending)

For us, as a training body this means a more complicated booking system as we need to Set aside 2 separate days of your training course to allow for ‘Test Days’.  Also we are given considering as to how much training is going to need to be given to prepare students for the new ‘off road’ manoeuvres.  So this again has cost implications for our students.

The date now for the indroduction of these new procedures has now been given as the 27th of April.

What this means is, If you want a motorcycle licence – GET IT NOW.