The motorcycling safety group RideSafe BackSafe has expressed concern about the number of learner riders riding illegally, having failed to renew their CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) certificate.
A CBT certificate is valid for two years at which point a moped or motorcycle rider is required to retake their CBT course – unless they have passed both parts of the test to acquire their full motorcycling licence, or moved on to driving a car.
Rob Winn, road safety adviser and RideSafe BackSafe team member, said: “If you do nothing, your CBT expires after two years and by continuing to ride on public highways you are committing a road traffic offence.
“What makes this all the more alarming is the fact that your CBT is a basic ‘entry level’ introduction to riding on the roads, and really should be seen as a short-term stepping stone to other training and safer travel.”
RideSafe BackSafe points to recent statistics showing that the number of people riding mopeds and motorcycles has increased dramatically and the motorcycle population as a whole now travels in excess of five billion kilometres per year.
Rob Winn added: “With the cost of fuel and insurance going up dramatically, many people are living on a tighter budget and this may cause some learner riders to simply not bother renewing or ‘moving on’ from a CBT certificate, some may even just forget. RideSafe BackSafe is keen to highlight the fact that no reminder is issued when the two year time limit has expired.”
For more information visit the RideSafe BackSafe website or contact Mandi Doyle on 01584 881 651.
Why are people surprised about this, the law states you have to undertake a compulsory basic training in order to ride legally on roads as a learner, yet they say the certificate expires after 2 years. Now if people’s cbt certificate expires they have still completed a cbt course and have satisfied the law, however the system is set up in such a way that motorcycle training bodies can and do, effectively force some1 to retake the complete cbt course which takes a full day and comes at a massive price. I’m currently in this predicament, I’ve booked and paid for a 2nd theory test and have been trying to get some1 to renew my cbt but no1 will as I’m not prepared to repeat an arduous so called training course especially at my expense. Now if there was a cbt renewal course which didn’t cost anywhere near as much as the complete course, that I have already taken completed and passed once before.
tricky, lancashire
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Part of this increase or rather decrease in CBT take up for 2nd time is that over the last couple of years there has been great changes in the siting of the tests – some 240 centres reduced to about 70, and in the test itself. Delays have inevitably occurred ands people have not known what to do.
I believe that eventually it will all level out.
Bob Craven, Lancs
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Here I go again. I will try to avoid saying “in my day.” I was a Met Police motorcyclist in the days of mods and rockers. In the evenings, mods rode round the town in groups. We would coral the lot into a lay-by and find a bagful of offences. I would urge RideSafe BackSafe to campaign to their MPs, the Home Secretary and the Minister for Policing and ask to have the old-style Traffic Division reborn. I would apply but I am too old and grey.
Roy Buchanan, Principal Road Safety Officer, London Borough of Sutton
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It is also concerning that there’s no central database of who has completed a CBT and when. CBT is in effect a licence to ride and it’s stunning that in this day and age this is not recorded outside of the training school that conducts the CBT.
It is also worth considering though how much value a repeat CBT gives to a rider after 2 years of riding on the road. Would many of us pay £100 to retake our driving tests after that time period?
Dave, Leeds
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