Suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle test.

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A decision made (23/11/2007) regarding: Suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle driving test.

Decision Reference: MD-T-2007-104
Decision Summary Title :	Suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle driving test		Date of Decision Summary:	8th November 2007
Decision Summary Author:	Chris Rabet Senior Traffic Officer		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle driving test		Date of Written Report:	8th November 2007
Written Report Author:	Chris Rabet Senior Traffic Officer		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle driving test
Decision(s): The Minister decided a heavy motorcycle test should be taken on a motorcycle with an engine size of least 240cc and the law should be amended accordingly.
Reason(s) for Decision: To maintain the standard of the test and road safety considerations and to improve the choice of suitable vehicle for the test, thus satisfying the needs of the general public.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: The Inspector of Motor Traffic to ask the law draftsman to amend Schedule 8 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licence) (Jersey) Order 2003 so that a suitable vehicle for the purposes of the heavy motorcycle practical test is stated as a heavy motorcycle of at least 240 cc.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle test.

TRANSPORT & TECHNICAL SERVICES

SUITABLE VEHICLE FOR A HEAVY MOTORCYCLE DRIVING TEST

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

For the Minister for Transport and Technical Services to consider whether it is necessary to amend the requirements for a suitable vehicle for the purposes of a heavy motorcycle test.

BACKGROUND

To obtain a heavy motorcycle licence in Jersey you must be at least 18 years of age and have held a light motorcycle licence for 1 year. The test must be taken on “a heavy motorcycle of at least 250cc”.

Before 1991 the motorcycle classifications were:

Moped up to 50cc

Light motorcycle up to 250cc (group F)

Heavy motorcycle above 250cc (group E).

Following the death of a motorcycle driver and his pillion passenger in June 1990 the Defence Committee, on the direction of the Coroner’s Court Inquest jury, decided to amend the definition of a light motorcycle.

The driving licence groups were redefined; group F, light motorcycle, became category A1, and group E, heavy motorcycle became category A. The Road Traffic Law was also amended; motorcycles with engines between 125 and 250, in cylinder capacity, which were previously within the definition of “light motor cycle” were now included in the “heavy motor cycle” category. This came into force in January 1991.

There appears to have been no reason to consider amending the minimum vehicle requirement for the purpose of the heavy motorcycle practical test. Prior to the re-classification of a light motorcycle in 1991, to obtain a heavy motorcycle licence it was, as is now, that the minimum vehicle for the purposes of the practical test was "a heavy motorcycle of at least 250c.

DISCUSSION

In recent weeks the engine size of a motorcycle presented for heavy motorcycle tests has become an issue. A number of candidates have presented themselves for testing on a motorcycle classified by the manufacturer as a 250cc. When checking the declared engine cc on the Vehicle Registration System it was found that the cc of the engine was less than 250. These candidates were unable to take their heavy motorcycle tests as under Schedule 8 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Jersey) Order 2003, such a vehicle was not a suitable vehicle for the purposes of the practical test.

The driving examiners were recently given general access to the Registration system to assist candidates in situations that had been arising with documentation for their tests. However, the issue about 250cc motorcycles then became apparent. The legislation (Schedule 8 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Jersey) Order 2003) states that a suitable vehicle for the purposes of the practical test for an A category licence is "a heavy motorcycle of at least 250cc". In the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956, a "heavy motorcycle" "means a mechanically propelled vehicle (not being a light motor cycle, moped or invalid carriage) with less than 3 wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kg" - in practice it is a motorcycle with a cylinder capacity exceeding 125cc, the maximum power of the engine exceeds 11 KW and its power to weight ratio exceeds 100 KW per tonne.

Should the law be amended?

Against

It was the intention of the Defence Committee to improve road safety by re-defining the definitions of a light motorcycle and heavy motorcycle. Lowering the requirement of the engine size of motorcycle for the heavy motorcycle test could lower the standard. In the modern age motorcycles between 125cc and 250cc have a low kerb weight and are easier to manoeuvre than say a 650cc motorcycle. Acceleration on 125cc to 250cc engine size motorcycles is less responsive than the bigger bike. Due to the manoeuvrability section of the test, taking a heavy motorcycle test on a motorcycle between 125cc and 250cc would be easier than using a 650cc motorcycle. There would be nothing preventing a person after taking their heavy motorcycle test on a 125cc motorcycle riding a 900cc motorcycle (in car terms this would be like someone passing their test in a Fiesta and immediately going out in a Bugatti Veyron). If someone wants a licence to ride a heavy motorcycle, and that includes a motorcycle between 125cc and 250cc, they should be required to take their test on a vehicle that reasonably represents a heavy motorcycle.

For

It is accepted there are very few motorcycles of 250cc and that most motorcycles classed by manufacturers as 250cc have an engine size between 220cc to 249cc. This has probably been the case since 1990 and no doubt many tests have been conducted and a number of people have obtained a heavy motorcycle licence using a motorcycle with an engine size less than 250cc. Nonetheless, we cannot correct the wrongs of the past, nor should we attempt to do so.

The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licence) (Jersey) Order 2003 could be amended to allow any motorcycle classed by the manufacturer as a 250cc to be accepted for the test, or the engine size as stated on the registration document could be reduced from the minimum 250cc requirement to 240cc or 230cc.

Some members of the public regard the actions of DVS in insisting that a motorcycle of least 250cc is used for a heavy motorcycle test to be bureaucracy and feel that any motorcycle classed by the manufacturer as a 250cc should be accepted. Reducing the minimum engine size requirement will be popular with some members of the public.

Consideration

Breakdown of Jersey registered motorcycles.

Up to 200cc: 6746

220cc to 230cc: 2

230cc to 240cc: 33

240cc to 249cc: 260

250cc: 91

250cc to 300cc: 44

300cc to 400cc: 267

400cc to 500cc: 339

500cc to 600cc: 676

Over 600cc: 2562

Guernsey licence and test requirements

To obtain a heavy motorcycle licence in Guernsey you must be 18 years of age, or if you have held a category A1 (light motorcycle) licence for at least 12 months, 17 years of age. The test can be taken on any motorcycle exceeding 125cc.

UK licence and test requirements

To obtain a heavy motorcycle licence in the UK is slightly confusing. You must be at least 17 years of age. There is no requirement to hold a light motorcycle driving licence for 1 year before applying for a heavy motorcycle licence.

If a person obtains a heavy motorcycle licence between the ages 17 to 21 they are restricted to riding motorcycles up to 25kW (33bhp) and a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.16kW/kg (approximately 250cc). The minimum sized motorcycle used for this test is a motorcycle between 121 and 125cc, capable of exceeding 100 km/h (62.1mph).

In practice, between the age of 17 to 21, you must drive a motorcycle between 125cc and 250cc (a heavy motorcycle in Jersey) for two years before driving a motorcycle of any size. You can graduate from a 250cc to an unlimited size motorcycle without taking a further test.

However, for a person aged 21 years or older there is a “direct access” route to obtaining a heavy motorcycle licence. The minimum sized motorcycle for this test is a motorcycle with a power outlet of a least 35kW (46.6bhp), basically 400cc and above. There is no need to hold any motorcycle licence before using the “direct access” route.

It is understood the “direct access” route was considered by the Jersey authorities in 1990 but was rejected, probably because of policing and road safety issues.

There are four basic options:

Leave the law as is;

Amend the law to allow a heavy motorcycle test to be taken on a motorcycle with the minimum engine size of at least 240cc, say;

Amend the law to increase the minimum engine size required for a heavy motorcycle test;

Adapt the Guernsey / UK standards for Jersey.

Due to several fatalities that occurred on Jersey's roads some years ago, the authorities decided it was necessary to introduce the current licensing and testing categories for motorcycles. This has served Jersey well and there appears to be little reason to change, apart from the availability of 250cc motorcycles. However, the range of motorcycles available to the public is restricted and many would be forced onto larger motorcycles to take the test.

It is doubtful that an amendment to Schedule 8 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licence) (Jersey) Order 2003, in that a motorcycle of at least 240cc (instead of 250cc) would be a suitable vehicle for a heavy motorcycle test, would have any significant effect on the outcome or the value of the heavy motorcycle test. So the road safety considerations could be maintained yet the availability to the public of motorcycles suitable for taking the test would be improved. This would be welcomed by the public and would increase the choice of vehicle available to riders.

Increasing the size of a motorcycle appears at first to be a reasonable option. However, moving up in size from a 100cc to say a 350cc motorcycle might be too big a step for a number of aspiring riders. Something around 250cc seems to be a happier medium for many riders who want to graduate to a heavier motorcycle.

There remains concern in the UK about the numbers of motorcyclists involved in crashes, particularly where no other vehicle is involved. A number of these crashes appear to involve inexperienced riders on heavy motorcycles. There does not seem to be any advantage, therefore, in adapting the Guernsey / UK standards for Jersey.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Minister amends the law to allow a heavy motorcycle test to be taken on a motorcycle with an engine size of least 240cc.

REASONS FOR DECISION

To maintain the standard of the test and road safety considerations and to improve the choice of suitable vehicle for the test, thus satisfying the needs of the general public.

ACTION REQUIRED

The Inspector of Motor Traffic to ask the law draftsman to amend Schedule 8 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licence) (Jersey) Order 2003 so that a suitable vehicle for the purposes of the heavy motorcycle practical test is stated as a heavy motorcycle of at least 240 cc.

Written by: Christopher Rabet

Senior Traffic Officer

Approved by: Caroline Anderson

Director of Transport

File Reference: MOTO/CY/5

Date: 8 November 2007