Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to increase the availability of practical test appointments for motorcycle drivers.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) forecasts the demand for all types of driving tests including motorcycle tests; this is done annually and reviewed quarterly. The information is used to ensure the Agency has the required number of motorcycle examiners available in order to meet its commitment of maintaining an annual six week waiting time.

Demand for tests has increased over the last three years and DVSA has responded by conducting 6,000 more test per year, as shown below.

Demand for motorcycle tests is seasonal; during the Summer months (April to September) DVSA increases test availability by opening summer work patterns.

Last year the Agency achieved motorcycle test waiting times of 4.7 weeks for module one and 3.9 weeks for module two. Waiting times are currently 7 weeks for module one and 5.8 weeks for module two.

As part of DVSA’s current recruitment campaign it is seeking to recruit 16 fast track motorcycle examiners. There are also currently four fast track biker recruits undergoing new entrant training.

Training has also been scheduled to provide a further 14 bike examiners before September (this includes two currently attending and 12 more booked on to the training course).