Motorbike training should be allowed to go ahead during the lockdown, it is not that much different then people going to shops to buy food. People are still walking around outside, keeping social distance and wearing face masks.

As these lockdowns have closed everything and are lasting longer than a few weeks, motorbike riders who have done their theory test before the Covid outbreak could soon have their theory test expire and they would have to pay for everything again to retake if they got far in their training.

Breakdown costs of motorbike riders who have completed everything until MOD 2 but are yet to take the MOD 2 test:

Theory test: £23

CBT: £110

MOD 1: £300

MOD 2: £390

That is a total of just under £900 for a motorbike rider to retake everything once their theory expires because lockdown has forced the testing centres to close down. If the motorbike riders theory runs out, it means the CBT, MOD 1 and potential MOD 2 training is now invalid. The motorbike rider would need to retake a theory test, get back on the waiting list to redo their CBT, MOD 1 and MOD 2 which they'll have to pay for again.

It is not possible for car drivers to social distance when learning how to drive a car or take the car test as the instructor needs to be inside the same car as them, so the 2 meter distance rule cannot be applied. Also, to learn how to drive a car, the theory is £23 and to book one test to pass and have a car license, it is £62. Motorbike riders have to take 3 tests to pass and get a full motorbike license.

However, during any training that is given to learn how to ride a motorbike, CBT, MOD 1, MOD 2, the instructors are standing at a distance that is far enough for the 2 meter safe distance but close enough to hear instructions.

There is around 2 students per class who attend CBT, MOD 1, MOD 2 and they are also keeping the safe 2 meter distance as they are sitting/riding on motorbikes, learning how to ride them. When the instructors and students are out on the road, each person has an individual motorbike, so the 2 meter distance still applies.

The students wear motorbike helmets and motorbike gloves, which is compulsory when learning how to ride a motorbike before Covid 19 started, as it is for safety and legal reasons to always wear a helmet and gloves when on the motorbike and when handling the motorbike. By wearing a motorbike helmet, most motorbike riders wear a snood or head covering underneath to make the helmet more comfortable, this could then be pulled over the nose and mouth to apply as a face covering. To follow Covid 19 face mask rules, all motorbike riders could be required to wear a snood/head covering underneath the helmet that could cover the mouth and nose when attending the training and tests.

Therefore, to conclude the petition, motorbike riders should be allowed to continue their training to get their full motorbike license. As at all times, the 2 meter safety distance is always applied, students are always wearing their motorbike helmets and gloves and the instructors are at a safe distance and could wear a face mask. When attending any motorbike tests (CBT, MOD 1, MOD 2), the examiners are riding separate motorbikes to the students which the 2 meter safety distance is automatically applied.

By signing this petition, you agree that motorbike riders should be allowed to continue their motorbike riding training and test taking, so they shall hopefully complete their training to get a full motorbike license before their theory runs out and makes their current training invalid, which would mean the motorbike rider would have to spend nearly £900 again to complete the tests back up to MOD 2.