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.
I have now got the agro of coming all the way from haverfordwest 120 miles round trip…maybe twice as i cannot get any sense out ot the dsa as to how I can take both parts on the same day. what about the people from the ceridigeon area??
I couldn’t agree more. Allthough I have since been told that you can book both tests for the same day but you risk losing the test fee for part 2 if you don’t get the part 1 right.
I can’t imagine what time you would have to leave home to get to Swansea for a morning part 1….or what time you would get back after taking an afternoon part 2.
Your situation is just one of the more ridiculous that the DSA turn a blind eye to and officaily they say they have met all their targets for delivering the new test to the public!
It’s a shambles.
I’m in the Ceredigion area and have waited 1 month for a mod 1 test date at Swansea. I booked 2 unpaid days off work to take the test, 1 day for training, next day for test. My test was cancelled on the morning it was due because of bad weather (test centre is on exposed coast), so I lost 2 days wages, didn’t take the test and still have to pay for my days wasted training!
Next available date is now 20th Dec, so 2 more days off work, and more expense for the days training prior to test.
I will then have to repeat this process for mod 2 in the new year!
My instructor/trainer is on the verge of closing down due to the huge burden of the new system, and my employer has warned my job is at risk if I take further days off, so the future is looking bleak…