With the lack of motorcycle test facilities in Wales meaning that motorcyclists taking tests are at an all time low, MP for Ceredigion, Mark Williams, last week met with the Chief Exec of the DSA.

Unsurprisingly the DSA have gone back on their commitment to providing test centres within a reasonable riding distance citing the fact that demand has significantly dropped.

Er hello? It will have dropped without testing facilities.

The DSA are still justifying their position by saying that lots of people took their tests prior to the introduction of the new test centres causing an unusual spike in figures and that this severe drop in numbers taking their tests taken as an average with the pre-test figures will show no real change, hmmm.

Despite pressure from Mr Williams, MAG and also motorcycle trainers, it appears that the DSA is taking a very casual approach to finding suitable venues for a new test centres in Wales.

These figures of people taking the new tests supplied by motorcycle instructors in Lampeter and Swansea make grim reading indeed:

2009/10 28
2008/9 146

The instructors advise that they have travelled over 2600 miles to do the 28 tests, that’s an average of 93 miles per test.
They fear that learners are now riding without licences.

So don’t the DSA have a duty to provide tests for everyone without putting any members of the general public at such a disadvantage?

As the new test and test centre facilities were supposed to improve safety for motorcyclists it isn’t working, clearly.