DRIVING STANDARDS
AGENCY News Release (DSA 37/08) issued by The Government News
Network on 13 August 2008
The Driving
Standards Agency (DSA) and the Motorcycle Industry Association
have teamed up with leading motorcycle insurance companies to
offer significant insurance discounts to all qualified bikers who
successfully take part in the new 'Enhanced Rider
Scheme' (ERS).
The ERS scheme is a new training package designed to meet with
the Government Motorcycling Strategy, which aims to see
significant reductions in the number of fatal and serious injury
road accidents on our roads each year involving motorcyclists.
The scheme aims to encourage and help qualified riders become
safer on the roads and so reduce accidents.
A national network of DSA Registered Post test Motorcycle
Trainers (RPMT) has been developed to deliver rider skills
assessments and training to those people who want to take part in
the Enhanced Rider Scheme. Riders assessed as having no
significant weaknesses receive a 'DSA Certificate of
Competence - Enhanced Rider Bonus', which entitles them to
insurance discounts. Riders who have significant weaknesses
receive structured training and will receive the certificate upon
successful improvement.
Many of the leading motorcycle insurers have signed up to the
scheme and are prepared to offer substantial discounts to riders
who can show they can ride to the ERS standard. The insurance
brokers and direct insurers currently sponsoring the scheme are:
AA Insurance, Bennett's, Bikesure, Carole Nash, Chandler
Direct, CIA, Devitt, Direct Choice, E Bike, Hastings Direct, MCE,
Lexham, Motorcycle Direct, Norwich Union Direct, Express,
Rampdale, Premium choice, Swinton. The scheme is supported by the
following insurers: AXA, Chaucer, Equity Red Star, Groupama,
Highway, KGM, Link, Zenith, NIG, Norwich Union and Royal & Sun Alliance.
Bikers wishing to take part in the scheme can find their local
DSA RPMT at: http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Bikes.asp
and follow the relevant links.
The launch of the voluntary Register of Post Test Motorcycle
Trainers has been welcomed by the motorcycling community and
already over 239 post-test trainers are on the register nationwide.
DSA has set minimum entry criteria, agreed with the Motorcycle
Training Industry for joining the register and is quality assuring
the scheme to ensure standards are maintained. Information from:
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk
There are two ways of becoming a DSA Registered Post-test
motorcycle trainer: One of the ways of qualifying is by passing a
DSA Theory, a riding-ability test and instructional-ability test.
The other way is by completing a DSA Accredited Instructor
Training Course & a DSA theory test.
The Agency is inviting applications to join the register from
those involved in motorcycle instructor training and who would
like to offer such Instructor Training Courses. Those interested
can apply to DSA for a starter pack which includes guidance notes
and an initial application form. Request a starter pack by
calling our information line 0191 201 8089.
(Ends)
Notes to Editors:
1. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is an executive agency * of
the Department for Transport.
2. The DSA's vision is "Safe Driving for Life"
with an overall mission to contribute towards a Government target
of achieving a 40% reduction in riders and drivers killed or
seriously injured in road accidents, in the age group up to 24
years, by 2010.
3. Current information on road casualties is available from the
Department for Transport website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
4. The Agency's aim is to promote road safety through
setting standards for drivers, riders and trainers, testing
drivers and riders fairly and efficiently, maintaining the
registers of Approved Driving Instructors; Large Goods Vehicle
Instructors; Fleet Trainers; Driving Instructor Trainers and Post
Test Motorcycle Trainers; supervising Compulsory Basic Training
(CBT) for learner motorcyclists; and driver education and the
provision of learning resources.
5. DSA is a trading fund * with an expected turnover of around
£199 million for the year 2008/9, fully funded by fee income and
revenue from its activities.
6. DSA employs over 2,700 staff, of which some 2,000 are driving
examiners based at over 400 test centres across mainland Great
Britain. In 2007/2008 the Agency conducted 1.8 million practical
tests for car drivers, over 95,000 vocational tests and 94,000
motorcycle rider tests. A total of 1.7 million theory tests were
carried out at 158 centres. At the end of the year there were
around 43,600 people on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors.
7. DSA was one of the first Government Agencies to introduce an
online booking service. Candidates can book and manage their
theory and practical test appointments on line at http://www.direct.gov.uk/drivingtest
* Executive agency:
An executive agency is semi-detached from its parent department
and manages its own budget with freedom from ad hoc, day to day
intervention and much of central, government-wide regulation. They
are run under the organisation and direction of a Chief Executive
recruited through open competition. An executive agency has
accountability for the performance of specific operational tasks
as a corporate unit, including focused performance targets set by
the parent department and personal accountability of the chief
executive for performance.
* Trading Fund:
A trading fund is a means of financing trading activities
undertaken by Government that would previously have been financed
by annual appropriation from Parliament. A trading fund permits
the establishment of a self-accounting unit that remains under the
control and management of Ministers and accountable to Parliament
through Ministers, but has greater freedom to manage its financial
affairs. Effectively that means the trading fund body can use its
income to settle its liabilities and retain year-end cash balances.
Establishing the trading fund does not alter the Agency's
constitutional position and it remains part of the Department for Transport.