Driving licence changes- the EU Commission make it all clear
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:11 pm
Driving licence changes- the EU Commission make it all clear... A reprieve!
With new licensing categories coming in to force on 19th January 2013, the rules change on what the power/cc/ weight the bikes have to be for candidates to take their practical test to enter each new category.
They've changed a lot recently and now it seems they've changed again- to what they were
It is a complicated system and a number of revisions which have all managed to further muddy the waters.
It was a very long campaign for example, that finally got the EU Commission to acknowledge that most 600cc bikes weren't exactly 600cc, so if the minimum test vehicle requirement to get a full bike licence was 600cc, they would actually permit the use of a 595cc machine.
With 6 months to go to implementation, the Commission again changed the minimum/ maximum power and weight requirements (depending on category), which had the effect of rendering some machines the training schools had just bought, as useless.
There were many complaints, but the EU Parliamentary committee said there was no time to halt the change, due to procedure. (That'd be the holy procedure they're happy to ignore on anti-tampering...)
Then the Commission changed things again and now they've released this press statement about what they will now permit the test suitable bikes to be.
Have a quick read of the paragraph below which explains their new idea. I'm sure you'll agree that it has certainly cleared up any confusion...
It modifies the requirements for the motorcycles used for the practical driving test, taking into account the existing models of motorcycles on the market. This will enable for instance the use of electric motorcycles for the test. The Commission has initiated the necessary to adopt a legal provision by the first quarter of 2013 that gives Member States the possibility to continue to authorise the use of current category 'A' motorcycles until 31 December 2018, thus avoiding economic burden to the training industry.
It would appear that after all the filibustering, the chopping and changing, the Commission have acknowledge their huge screw up (without saying so) and will now permit current category A bikes to be used to take the new test.
If they don't change their mind again next week, that means all the Direct Access bikes that training schools already own, will be suitable machines! Unbelievable!!
--
Paddy Tyson
Campaigns Coordinator
Motorcycle Action Group
With new licensing categories coming in to force on 19th January 2013, the rules change on what the power/cc/ weight the bikes have to be for candidates to take their practical test to enter each new category.
They've changed a lot recently and now it seems they've changed again- to what they were
It is a complicated system and a number of revisions which have all managed to further muddy the waters.
It was a very long campaign for example, that finally got the EU Commission to acknowledge that most 600cc bikes weren't exactly 600cc, so if the minimum test vehicle requirement to get a full bike licence was 600cc, they would actually permit the use of a 595cc machine.
With 6 months to go to implementation, the Commission again changed the minimum/ maximum power and weight requirements (depending on category), which had the effect of rendering some machines the training schools had just bought, as useless.
There were many complaints, but the EU Parliamentary committee said there was no time to halt the change, due to procedure. (That'd be the holy procedure they're happy to ignore on anti-tampering...)
Then the Commission changed things again and now they've released this press statement about what they will now permit the test suitable bikes to be.
Have a quick read of the paragraph below which explains their new idea. I'm sure you'll agree that it has certainly cleared up any confusion...
It modifies the requirements for the motorcycles used for the practical driving test, taking into account the existing models of motorcycles on the market. This will enable for instance the use of electric motorcycles for the test. The Commission has initiated the necessary to adopt a legal provision by the first quarter of 2013 that gives Member States the possibility to continue to authorise the use of current category 'A' motorcycles until 31 December 2018, thus avoiding economic burden to the training industry.
It would appear that after all the filibustering, the chopping and changing, the Commission have acknowledge their huge screw up (without saying so) and will now permit current category A bikes to be used to take the new test.
If they don't change their mind again next week, that means all the Direct Access bikes that training schools already own, will be suitable machines! Unbelievable!!
--
Paddy Tyson
Campaigns Coordinator
Motorcycle Action Group
