UK Government Signals Major Road Safety Reset — Motorcycle Licensing and Training Finally Under the Microscope
For the first time in more than a decade, the UK Government has unveiled a full national road safety strategy, and for once, motorcyclists are not being treated as an awkward footnote. Announced on 7 January, the plan promises sweeping reforms aimed at cutting deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035, rising to 70% for under-16s.
Those are big numbers, driven by a stark reality: four people still die on UK roads every single day. After years of stagnation and a worrying slide down the European road safety rankings, ministers are finally admitting that incremental tweaks haven’t been enough. This strategy is being pitched as a reset.
For riders, though, the headline is clear: motorcycle licensing, training and testing are back on the table.
Motorcycle Licensing Reform: Long Overdue, Now Official
Anyone who’s tried to explain the UK motorcycle licensing system to a new rider knows the problem. CBT, A1, A2, A, staged access, direct access, age limits, power restrictions — it’s a maze that puts people off before they ever swing a leg over a bike.
That frustration has been echoed for years by the National Motorcyclists Council, which has consistently argued that the current system is too complex, too expensive, and not delivering the safety gains it promised.
The new strategy confirms that a formal government consultation will now examine how motorcycle training and licensing could be reshaped — not scrapped, but modernised.
Craig Carey-Clinch, Executive Director of the NMC, welcomed the move, describing licensing and training as “fundamental to motorcycle safety” and pointing to the opportunity for short, medium and long-term improvements that actually align with modern riding and transport policy.
Crucially, the strategy also acknowledges something riders have been shouting about for years: rural roads matter.
Rural Roads: Where Riders Are Most at Risk
Despite accounting for a smaller share of traffic, rural roads consistently produce the highest rates of serious and fatal motorcycle collisions. Poor surfaces, limited visibility, agricultural traffic, inconsistent signage and over-confidence all play a role.
The new strategy explicitly targets these roads, signalling investment and policy focus where it’s needed most — not just urban 20mph zones and speed cameras.
For Motorbike Mad readers, this is a rare moment of alignment between lived riding experience and government policy. When officials talk about “risk”, they’re finally talking about the same places riders are getting hurt.
Industry Applause — But With Caution
The Motorcycle Industry Association has described the announcement as a “major campaign victory”, particularly after years of lobbying through its A Licence to Net Zero initiative.
MCIA Chief Executive Tony Campbell called the commitment to review licensing and training “hugely significant”, but his words carried a clear warning: the detail will matter enormously.
The industry’s position is simple. Reform must make licensing:
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Easier to understand
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More affordable
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Genuinely safer
What it must not do is become more restrictive for the sake of optics.
Handled properly, MCIA argues, this is a chance to support motorcycling as a safe, sustainable and practical transport option, helping the Government meet its wider ambitions on road safety, emissions and economic growth.
Handled badly, it risks pushing riders away — or worse, encouraging people to ride unlicensed and untrained.
A Bigger Road Safety Picture — Beyond Motorcycles
While motorcyclists finally get a seat at the table, the wider strategy casts a broad net.
A newly formed Road Safety Board, chaired by the Minister for Local Transport, will oversee delivery, supported by voices from emergency services, local authorities and safety organisations.
Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander described the plan as a “turning point” after years of stalled progress, pledging decisive action to save thousands of lives over the next decade.
Among the measures being consulted on:
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Lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales (unchanged since 1967 and the highest in Europe)
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Alcohol interlock devices for convicted offenders
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Mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over 70
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Crackdowns on ghost number plates, uninsured driving and no-MoT vehicles
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A new Road Safety Investigation Branch to analyse collision data and root causes
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Mandatory safety tech for new cars, including autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance (with motorcycles notably excluded)
The focus on younger drivers and riders has been welcomed by IAM RoadSmart, which described the approach as “particularly positive” after what it called a lost decade in casualty reduction.
Motorbike Mad Verdict: Opportunity or Missed Chance?
This strategy could mark the most important moment for UK motorcycling policy in a generation — or it could become another well-intentioned document that gathers dust.
The opportunity is real. Smarter licensing, better training pathways, genuine rural road improvements and meaningful inclusion of riders in transport policy could save lives without killing enthusiasm.
But riders have been burned before.
If reform slips into restriction, complexity or cost-creep, it will fail. If it listens to the people who actually ride — trainers, instructors, commuters, tourers and weekend warriors — it might finally work.
For now, the engine is running. The consultation is coming. And for once, motorcyclists are being invited along for the ride rather than blamed for the crash.
Motorbike Mad will be watching closely — and you can bet we’ll have plenty to say as the detail emerges.