§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on changes to driver licensing for motor cyclists in Northern Ireland. [8686]
§ Mr. MossRevised licensing arrangements for motor cyclists are being introduced under the second EC directive on the driving licence. The directive, which applies in Northern Ireland on the same basis as in the rest of the United Kingdom, except where required by existing differences in the two licensing systems, requires member states to have two motor cycle driving licence categories and associated tests. These will come into effect on 1 January 1997 by virtue of regulations made by the Department on 21 November 1996.
The category A test will require a rider to take the driving test on a motor cycle over 120cc but not more than 125cc and capable of a speed of 100 km per hour. On passing the test, a rider will be restricted for two years to motor cycles with a power output of up to 25kW or a power to weight ratio not exceeding 0.16 kW-kg. Thereafter the rider will have access to any size of machine. The existing category A test, which allows a person to take a test on a motor cycle up to 250cc, will continue until 30 June 1997. A rider passing his test on such a machine in this period will have immediate access to any size of machine.
The sub-category Al test will permit a driving test to be taken on a motorcycle of at least 75cc but not more than 120cc and passing this test will confer entitlement to drive a motorcycle of up to 125cc with a power output not exceeding 11kW.
A motor cyclist who passes the driving test on an automatic or semi-automatic machine will be restricted to similar machines. The minimum age for driving motorcycles will remain 17.