PACTS has joined with members of the charity, including MCIA and TfL, to call on the UK government to make vital changes to the Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) for motorcycles to enhance road safety and improve the training standards for motorcycle riders. In a joint letter signed by various stakeholders, including road safety charities, business representatives, local government officials, and motorcycle rider organizations, the urgent need for CBT reform has been emphasized.
The current CBT framework, established over thirty years ago, no longer adequately addresses the diverse nature of mopeds, motorcycles, and other powered light vehicles (PLV) in the modern era. Despite widespread support for CBT reform from various groups as respondents to the 2017 consultation, the proposed improvements have yet to be implemented.
To address this issue, the letter calls on the Government to introduce:
- Powers to revoke CBT certificates or take other measures for learner riders who have accrued six penalty points
- Restrictions limiting learners who complete their CBT course on a machine with automatic transmission to riding an automatic machine
- A combined CBT and DAS instructor qualification assessment
- Changes to the CBT syllabus, including requiring instructors to ensure trainees are appropriately dressed
- A theory test as part of or prior to CBT
There were 1,623 deaths and nearly 30,000 serious injuries sustained by motorcycle riders in Britain over the past five years. However, not only are people riding motorcycles at risk of harm but, per passenger mile, people riding motorcycles have the second highest rate of other road user fatalities after HGVs (that means being involved in collisions resulting in the death of other road users) Taking swift action to improve the safety of all road users is imperative.
PACTS Executive Director Jamie Hassall said: “We need to protect some of the most vulnerable road users we have on the roads and the Government agreed several years ago that they are needed but have not yet introduced them. We urge the Secretary of State to commence work to implement this positive and potentially life-saving legislation that forms a key part of a safe system approach to reducing death and serious harm on our roads.”
