LEARNER motorcyclists in Worcestershire face a 60-mile round-trip to take their tests following a change in EU rules.

Currently, people can take their test at Stanier Road in Warndon, Worcester, but that’s all set to change at the end of this month.

A European Community Directive has lead to a major change in the way learner motorcyclists are examined, including new manoeuvres, which must be undertaken at speeds of between 30 and 50 kph (18.7-31mph).

The tests will not be allowed on public roads and the Driving Standards Agency has had to find suitable sites to conduct the off-road manoeuvres at new multi-purpose test centres.

For people living in and around Worcester, it will mean having to travel about 30 miles to the Green Farm Business Park, Quedgeley, Gloucestershire or Granby Avenue, Garretts Green, Birmingham.

Safe Rider Motorcycle Training trainer Tony Edwards, who is based at the Worcester Motorcycle Club, Perdiswell, said he and others like him were very busy on the lead-up to the changes and it would be very inconvenient for a lot of people.

“The main problem is the 125cc bikes as the journey to the test centre in Gloucester is a 60-mile round-trip, and it will take them quite a long time to get there,” he said.

Mr Edwards said they had known about the changes since 2005 but, they were only coming into force now and it hadn’t been that well publicised. He said anyone wanting a test before the change would struggle as so many people had booked up until the end of the month.

Service manager Martin Reeves at Skellerns Motorcycles in Sidbury said he thought a lot of people were unaware of the changes and that the tests were getting harder.

“The new tests are going to be harder for people to take though and also they will have to travel further,” he said. “But I suppose if it makes people safer on the road then that is a good thing.” Candidates will have to undertake at least two manoeuvres executed at slow speed; at least two manoeuvres executed at higher speed, of which one manoeuvre should be in second or third gear, at a speed of at least 30km/h (18.75mph) and one manoeuvre avoiding an obstacle at a minimum speed of 50km/h (31.25mph); and a least two braking exercises.