Bike test centres 'waste of cash'

The Government wasted millions of pounds bringing in new, large motorcycling test centres and closing down small, convenient sites, says a report by MPs.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Mar 2010, 10:16 BST
Updated 23rd Mar 2010, 10:16 BST

The new multi-purpose centres were introduced in an "inept" way, causing "significant cost and inconvenience to test candidates and trainers with little apparent gain," added yesterday's report by the House of Commons Transport Committee added.

"If the new test brings financial ruin to the motorcycle training industry then we will have gone backwards," said committee chairman, Louise Ellman MP.

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The new motorcycle test was implemented following European legislation but no other country in Europe found it necessary to build "super test centres", the report said.

Smaller test sites could have been retained saving millions of pounds, with the Driving Standards Agency being slow and dogmatic in its approach to test centres and failing to listen adequately to the motorcycle industry, the MPs concluded.

Not all of the 66 planned centres are operational 11 months after the test was introduced.

Mrs Ellman said: "Many candidates and trainers now have to travel too far for their motorcycle test."

Related topics:GovernmentMPs