Moray Motor Cycle Test Centre Action Group

Angus Robertson took the fight to save the Elgin-based facility to Westminster after securing a debate on the issue but was told by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Tom Harris that the number of riders sitting their test in Moray did not justify one of the new multi-purpose test centres being developed here.

Bikers are still planning to take their fight to the streets, with a massed rally planned for Saturday, August 11.

Riders will gather at Tom Adamson's motorcyle shop at Linkwood, Elgin, at 2pm for the rally through Elgin, along the A96 to Forres and back to Elgin. A petition is also being launched to gather support.

Under new driving standards, cyclists sitting their practical test from 2008 will be expected to complete a series of manoeuvres at low and high speed for which a larger test site is needed The Driving Standards Agency has extensive plans to roll out a network of multi-purpose test centres by October 2008 and in opening the debate, Mr Robertson asked what practical and economic impact will the changes have.

"Until recently, we in Moray have benefited from car and motorcycle driving test facilities, an LGV test centre and a theory test centre. Unfortunately, the theory test centre has been withdrawn and replaced by a visiting bus. The motorcycle test facilities are under threat, and motorcycle instructors, learner riders, local driving instructors and business owners are concerned that plans to move test facilities to Inverness will be detrimental to learners, businesses, bike and bike equipment retailers and the overall economy of Moray," he said.

"For instructors in Moray, the removal of test facilities in the region will be crucial to their businesses, but clearly not in a good way.

"Moray's various bike instructors are well thought of, and their excellent teaching speaks for itself. Moray has one of the highest pass rates of any test centre – 83% compared with pass rates in Aberdeen and Inverness in the mid-60% range."

The prospect of having to travel more than an hour's ride away on a busy trunk road is a daunting one, said Mr Robertson, adding he would be lobbying his SNP colleagues at the Scottish Executive to upgrade the A96 as soon as possible but it remained a busy and at times tragically dangerous road.

In response to a earlier inquiry by Mr Robertson, Driving Standards Agency revealed that an average of only 20 tests a month are taken in Elgin, making it an economically unviable site for a multi-purpose test centre. The MP pointed out, however, that however, that Elgin has only a small capacity for tests and that the earliest available appointment was nearly three months away, compared with a waiting time of half that in Inverness which he believes may be leading to Moray riders taking their test elsewhere.

Moray's test centre supports two full-time and two part-time instructors, and the wider bike-related business in Moray includes five shops that supply bikes and accessories; in turn, they support additional employment, including that of mechanics and sales staff, Mr Robertson said in his speech and called on the minister to take action to ensure that bikers in more rural areas are not unduly discriminated against.

Motorcycling is becoming increasingly popular, said Mr Harris, but regrettably, motorcyclists represent a large proportion of road casualties, leading to the move to bring in more demanding tests.

"To facilitate the delivery of the new manoeuvres exercise we identified a need to develop a national network of driving test centres based on an updated design. In order to exploit the value of the investment in the new centres we have decided that, wherever possible, they will be multipurpose. In addition to the motorcycling manoeuvres exercise and practical motorcycle test they will be used to deliver other types of practical test for learner car, lorry and bus drivers.

"The intention is that most driving test candidates should be able to reach a test centre within 45 minutes, travelling no more than 20 miles. We anticipate that for each new multipurpose driving test centre in Scotland, one driving test centre will relocate to the new facilities. Motorcycle testing is delivered from 35 driving test centres and in the future the tests will be delivered from 12 new multipurpose driving test centres. Delivery of car, lorry and bus driver testing will remain largely unchanged, Mr Harris said.

"On the question of the alleged safety aspects of the A96, I totally accept that when a local road has a reputation for danger that has a knock-on effect on the confidence with which drivers will go down a road. I am not aware of any evidence to suggest that the A96 is such a dangerous road that it would preclude the location of those test facilities in Inverness.

"Towards the end of his speech, (Mr Robertson) seemed to be saying that the number of tests carried out in Inverness is inflated because his constituents would rather wait for a shorter length of time to take their test in Inverness. At the same time, he made another argument which I think was contradictory. He said that people are reluctant to travel the A96 because of the perceived danger of travelling on that road.

"One argument may be true, but I cannot see how both can. People are either being encouraged to take their tests in Inverness or being discouraged from using the A96."

Bikers out in force to support test centre By Leanne Carter, Northern Scot Newspaper

Published:  17 August, 2007

THE fight to save a motorcycle test centre from closure roared into top gear at the weekend when over 250 bikers staged a protest rally along the A96. And it looks as though a demonstration on an even larger scale could be on the cards, with motorcycle clubs from across the North and North-east joining in. Every group in the area is to be approached with a view to having at least one of its members joining a committee to take the campaign forward.

It is hoped that the pressure will lead to the Driving Standards Agency rethinking its proposals to force learner drivers to sit their test in Aberdeen or Inverness.

Under proposals being pushed forward by the DSA, the Elgin centre will be scrapped in favour of larger multi-purpose facilities in the two cities.

Lossiemouth motorcyclist Elizabeth Forsyth, who is still wearing her L-plates, helped to organise Saturday's massed rally from Elgin to Forres. She said that driving along the A96 was a frightening experience for her – and not one she would want to repeat until she is more experienced in the saddle. "I never thought that we would have as many people as we did on Saturday," said Mrs Forsyth, who has recently passed the theory section of the bike test. "I thought maybe 40 or 50 bikers, so when I turned the corner and saw them there, my heart was thumping. I was so proud of them all for turning out. "The response we had was very positive: we had a fantastic reception from other road users, and they all seem to be behind our campaign too.

"It was an unreal feeling to go through the High Street and get the thumbs up from so many people. The demo certainly brought the message home."

It is feared that scrapping the Elgin centre from next year will put the lives of inexperienced riders at risk as they are forced to drive along the busy A96. Under new driving standards, learner motorcyclists sitting their practical test will be expected to complete a series of manoeuvres at low and high speeds. The new requirements can only be carried out at larger test centres. The DSA does not feel the number of riders sitting their test in Moray justifies Elgin being upgraded.

According to DSA figures, the Elgin centre has on average 20 tests a month, and that would make it an economically unviable site for a multi-purpose test centre.

Moray MP Angus Robertson is leading the campaign against the closure at Westminster, and joined in Saturday's demonstration by riding pillion.

Councillor Barry Jarvis, who represents the Elgin City North ward, also took part, while his Elgin City South counterpart Graham Leadbitter acted as a marshall.

They all spoke at a rally at Elgin Mart, where bikers and members of the public were encouraged to add their names to a petition against the closure.

Mr Robertson highlighted the dangers to all road users on the A96, and said he would be keeping up the pressure for improvements which could reduce the number of accidents on the trunk road.

Mrs Forsyth said she would be delighted if politicians were able to make the A96 safer, but pointed out that any improvements would take years to be introduced.

"That will be too late for some bikers," she said.

"In the meantime they will still have to travel through to Aberdeen or Inverness on a very busy and dangerous road."

She added: "I found driving on the A96 on Saturday quite a frightening experience. It was worse because it was raining so hard, and I'd never driven in rain like that before.

"I remember coming up to the roundabout in Forres and I was shaking wondering if the bike was going to go round it. If the test centre goes, there will be no choice for inexperienced riders –they will have to go on it.

"I was also shocked at how fast the traffic flows on the A96, and maybe we need to educate car drivers too, because it is such a dangerous road.

"The rally was great, but we are not going to stop there. We'll be getting in touch with all the motorbike clubs in the area with a view to setting up a committee and organising a bigger demonstration.

"I will also be taking the petition onto the High Street in Elgin within the next couple of weeks and asking the public to sign it. The support we have had so far has been incredible: no one wants to see the test centre close."

Speaking after the rally, Mr Robertson said the amazing sight of the bikers riding together in support of the facilities clearly demonstrated the strength of feeling on the issue.

BIKERS RALLY AGAINST TEST PLANS

26 January 2008 - Press and Journal Newspaper

Campaigners will take to the streets to protest against a threat to shut motorcycle test centres.
A mass rally is being organised to help resist plans to close Driving Standards Agency test centres in Buckie and Elgin.
The Moray centres could be closed to make way for new multi-purpose centres based at Aberdeen and Inverness.
This would see learner riders having to travel, sometimes on low-powered bikes, on the busy A96 to either Aberdeen or Inverness to sit their test.