Last Monday (7th December) representatives of the motorcycle industry met with DVLA Chief Executive, David Evans, in a bid to finally get some action on the issue of lost motorcycle entitlements. Click here for earlier report.
Present at the meeting were David Evans (Chair) DVLA , Chris Croad DVLA Communications), Miriam Lea and Andrew Colski DfT (chairs Dft road safety working group),Kevin Walsh (Dispatch Assoc), Chris Hodder (BMF), Paddy Tyson (MAG), reps for- Assoc of Fleet Operators, Ministry of Justice, IAM, Road Haulage Assoc, Assoc Chief Police Officers.
The agency have agreed put in place a series of safeguards to prevent motorcycle entitlements being lost when riders receive a replacement driving licence. Although exact details are still to be announced.
Whilst the DVLA did at last admit to some mistakes…they say there were only 72 cases out of 8 million, despite what has been reported in the motorcycling press and on the BBC watchdog programme.
Interestingly, after the Watchdog programme, 106 more people came forward saying they had lost entitlement. Of those, most hadn’t, but had moved from an old licence to a new style one and as such the category name had changed, but not the actual entitlement. The remainder did not provide any further info when asked and a goodly amount of those are now being investigated by the police as fraudulent claims, part of the 2000 cases handled annually!
DVLA have said, if people want to have their old licences returned they will have their photos punched with a hole so that they cannot be reused/repaired. They say the proposal to cut corners off licences is not workable because the sharp edges may tear the envelopes in the post.
If you make an online application, you will not need to send your old licence until the new one arrives.
However, the 10 year renewal facility can’t be done online as there is no way the DVLA can receive and verify photos online. Because of this, over a third of all DVLA transactions cannot be done online, yet.
If you want your licence returned anyway, when you have sent it off by mail and not used the online facility, you must include an SAE for return.
As soon as we receive further news you will be the first to know.
We are told a new problem has been discovered surrounding lost mini bus entitlement…..
Your comments welcomed below
I my be wrong, but don`t racing motor cyclists have to hold a full road licence in order to race? If this is the case then in the long term we might run out of champions!??
You are wrong John. A lot of racers famously haven’t passed their motorcycle tests as they don’t have to in order to race. However that doesn’t stop many being MAG members and helping those of us who do need licences to fight these daft regulations
I had to return my licence and asked for my old one to be returned. The reply was “I am sorry but it is not possible to return your previous license, as requested, as these are destroyed, for security reasons, once the application is processed”. The DVLA letter is dated 27th April 2011.
So what is going on?
I wish somebody would sort out my licence problem. I’ve been writing to the DVLA for months, been in touch with the police road traffic unit, the DSA its dead end after dead end. Nobody is willing to accept I have lost my motorcycle A1 entitlement and now they think its my fault for not forwarding test pass certificates back in 1998. I’ve been informed that they expect me to go through the whole training and test again because its not up to them. Has anybody anywhere got any ideas because I’m frustrated beyond belief with this. They say even submitting proof is not acceptable as the pass is out of date. It’s absolutely ludicrous!
Hi Rich
What a mess! As you say ludicrous. My best suggestion now is if you are a MAG member contact them and they will get on the case for you, if not, join! Also MCN love these stories especially as they claim to have been told by DVLA that this isn’t happening when it clearly still is.
Joolz
I have had an ongoing battle with the DVLA for over a year to have code 01 (must wear corrective lenses) removed from my license, during the process I twice had to return my license and both times I asked for my old one to be returned. After the first return they said ‘no, due to security..’ and I found this article, so I did a freedom of information request to ask for minutes of the meeting mentioned here – they claim none were taken but confirmed a system was in place to return licenses but only on request. The second time I returned my licence and asked for the old one back they again said ‘no, due to security…’.
I have copies of all letters and would be happy to forward them to anyone willing to fight the DVLA over this. They have beaten me into submission because although I now have code 01 removed from my license, it has taken a year, many letters, an opthalmologist appointment and a DSA eyesight test to do it. I still have not been told, despite numerous requests, how code 01 got there in the first place!
Hi joolz I only just read your reply sorry for the late response. Finally got a come back letter after forwarding my training copy cat A from a local instructor for a basic return to motorcycles course and clearly ticked on there is full licence. Now I have been told this is again insufficient and I need to provide not only proof of the original test but proof of it being sent within the 2 year period. I have now asked for a full copy of this investigation to contact a solicitor and seek legal advice. It has caused me serious anxiety problems my family and I are no longer talking because my own mum can’t believe any government industry is wrong and obviously its all my fault. All this over trying to legally insure a bike against theft in the hope I don’t lose my bike and the occasional afternoon ride again at weekends.
I honestly feel like giving up to be fair this has been going on now since September last year, the replies are always generally very slow and unfavorable.
I wouldn’t mind but I have a clean record with them I drive all week long over 2000 miles a week with work and have had a full UK licence since 95. Which they still don’t answer when I ask for a copy of my car test pass seeing as their records are impervious.
I’ve only really been back into biking since 2010, frankly the 125 was dangerously slow on main roads, they say its a safety thing perhaps they should try accelerating away from a lorry towering over you on a 125!!!
If I honestly felt I couldn’t control the bike safely I’ve bought I’d have no interest in being on it. The last thing I need is ending up hurting myself or anyone else.
If they want me to retrain and retest because its a larger bike and I haven’t been on a 250cc now since 99 then fair enough but I thought that was the point of me doing a training course again to update my skills.
Just because its a bigger bike the speed limit is still 70 in this country it just gets there quicker. I personally would have thought also a lot more stable than a pencil wheeled 2 stroke buzzing machine.
If they want it redone on the other hand because they can’t find it surely they should atleast help pay towards it?
Is it honestly fair we go through all this hassle doing things correctly when people ride about illegally and couldn’t care less and others go abroad on a UK car licence and ride any bike they want without even doing any training?
I think one of my friends grandparents has been riding over 50 odd years he says he can’t remember ever going through any of this, he bought a bike and off he went.
I honestly think it would be simpler to move abroad get a new job and an entirely new life than it would to get anywhere with the DVLA in this country. I think its all a very sad state of affairs and I’m fully tired of.
How can one person win against an entire industry who won’t listen to anyone but themselves…
answer…
they can’t because they bury you in legislation and proof which they know damn well is very unlikely you’ve ever taken copies of at that nieve age. My only hope is one day somebody shuts the idiots down and lets the smurfs run it, they might just do a better job.
Hi Rich, Please contact paddy.tyson AT mag-uk.org. They are contacting DVLA and sorting out these problems effectively, Joolz
Hi Joolz
Thanks again I sent a message to the email you gave me.
The last letter I got from the DVLA had a copy of all my emails and an explanation why they weren’t able to help.
To be fair I am so fed up of it now I’ve put it down as a lost cause.
Still maybe a miracle will happen who knows.
I’ll update you if anything occurs.
All the best