TL;DR: The new Road Safety Strategy is set to reform motorcycle training and the path to a full licence while making UK roads safer for everyone.
For over a decade, road safety has stalled. With no guiding strategy, we’ve settled for a series of incremental tweaks. It clearly hasn’t worked. In fact, we’ve dropped from having the 3rd safest roads in the world to 4th. That changes this year with the government’s new Road Safety Strategy and UK motorcycle licensing reform on the cards for 2026.
This strategy adopts the Safe System approach—an evidence-based framework developed in Sweden acknowledging humans make mistakes, but those mistakes shouldn’t be fatal. Better yet, motorcyclists aren’t an afterthought this time. We’ve been consulted alongside other road users. The strategy aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035.
If you’re a rider, you already know the stakes. We make up just 1% of motor vehicle traffic yet account for 21% of road deaths. Per billion miles travelled, we’re over 40 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than someone in a car.
For the motorcycling community, this strategy will bring about a massive shift in how we get licensed, how we train, and even how rural roads are designed. Whether you’re a “permanent learner” on a CBT or an experienced rider heading for your Full A licence, the 2026 reforms will drastically change your journey on two wheels.
Motorcycle licensing and training reform: 2026 consultation
The biggest change the Road Safety Strategy is bringing riders is the expectation of reform to the current licensing system. The government admitted it’s convoluted and they’re preparing to fix it. A formal consultation on modernising training and testing for Category A (AM, A1, A2, and A) licences is the first step and already underway.
The goal of the overhaul is clear: improve rider safety through better training. One obvious way to do this is to encourage riders towards full licences.
“This is a really exciting time for riders and the motorcycle training industry as a whole. We welcome the announcement of the government’s first full road safety strategy in more than a decade. The strategy quite rightly focuses on reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads, and we fully support that.
We have some concerns about making the theory test part of CBT, and the proposed cap on the number of times you can renew your CBT. We’ll be working closely with the DVSA and DfT as the review progresses, to ensure outcomes are appropriate for rider training. We’ll also work in conjunction with the Driving Instructors Association (DIA), Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) and National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) to support their work in these areas.”
– Mark Jaffe, Owner of Phoenix Motorcycle Training.
A minimum learning period for riders?
The introduction of a three or six-month minimum learning period is already being discussed for learner drivers. It stands to reason that it may well be extended to learner riders too.
The government is exploring how a mandatory experience window could work for new riders and is considering introducing a theory test to the CBT syllabus. It’s a logical move away from the CBT-to-test sprint that encourages new riders to build competence in varied weather and traffic conditions before heading to the DVSA test centre.
We already offer new riders post-CBT training to prepare for full-licence courses. And our CBT training comes with free access to pre-CBT resources like Hazard Perception training and understanding how your behaviour impacts your safety. We’ll be taking part in these consultations and watching this space closely.
Reforming progressive access to full motorcycle licences
If you’ve ever tried to explain the different Category A motorcycle licences, you know how complex it is. The 2026 reform aims to simplify this path. Key areas under review include:
- Progressive Access via Training: Instead of having to take a full Module 1 and Module 2 test every time you move up a category (e.g., A2 to Full A), the government is consulting on training-based progression. This would let riders upgrade their licence through certified courses rather than a high-pressure exam.
- Automatic vs. Manual Restrictions: A proposal to restrict learner riders to automatic machines if they complete their CBT on one, bringing bikes in line with car licensing.
- A Digital CBT Platform: Fraudulent CBT certificates are on the rise and causing a headache for police and ATBs alike. To combat this, a new digital system is being developed. This will allow the DVSA to track a rider’s progress more effectively.
The UK motorcycle licensing reform 2026 reforms aim to make the Direct Access Scheme (DAS) more about earning your license through expert training and less about surviving a high-pressure test day. Consultations are looking at introducing more structure—like mandatory theory knowledge. This proposed training-based progression could make getting your full category A license faster and more focused on real-world riding skills.
Focusing on gig-economy riders
One big influencer of these changes is the significant rise in delivery riders on our streets. The new Road Safety Strategy recognises 1 in 3 road fatalities involves someone riding or driving for work. By simplifying the path to a full licence, it makes it easier for delivery riders to be better trained and more protected than the current CBT-only culture allows.
Safer infrastructure: It’s not just about motorcycle training and skills
The Safe System approach acknowledges that road safety is a shared responsibility. It’s partly about how we ride and also the environment we ride in. The 2026 road safety strategy marks a major shift in how our roads will be planned and maintained. With special focus on rural routes where so many motorcycle accidents occur.
Project PRIME: Nudging riders to safety
One of the most exciting parts of the new strategy is the national rollout of Project PRIME (Perceptual Rider Information for Maximising Expertise). Initially trialed in Scotland, Project PRIME delivered astounding results for motorcyclists.
It uses “nudge psychology” to help riders navigate demanding bends. Instead of just another SLOW sign, unique road markings compliment signs to create optical narrowing. The combination of signs and markings means riders naturally adjust their speed and road positioning better. The best thing about this is it improves rider enjoyment along with safety.
The results from the Scottish trials were incredible:
- Significant reductions in speed on the approach to sharp corners.
- Improved road positioning, helping riders hit the apex safely.
- Zero injury collisions at the previously identified “accident cluster” sites where the markings were installed.
Following this success, the 2026 Road Safety Strategy confirms the expansion of these new road markings to other regions across the UK. Keep an eye out for these markings on your local rural twisties. They’re designed by riders, for riders, so you can make the “right and natural” line around the curves ahead.
Reassessing rural roads
It’s no secret that rural roads are the most dangerous for us. This year we’ll see action on the government’s commitment to reassess rural road categories and safety guidance. This means:
- Better Surface Maintenance: Prioritising the repair of potholes and loose gravel on popular biking routes.
- Smarter Planning: Incorporating motorcycle-specific safety measures (like “bikesafe” crash barriers) into new road designs and major renovations.
- Safe Speeds: Using data to ensure speed limits on rural bends are realistic and clearly marked.
By focusing on the road itself, the government is admitting even the best-trained rider can’t always safely travel over a poorly designed or maintained road.
Enforcement and registration: A crackdown on “Ghost Plates”
The Safe System covers everyone’s role in road safety. That includes robust enforcement of the rules to protect everyone using our roads. That’s why the Road Safety Strategy directs a zero-tolerance approach to high-harm behaviors and vehicle non-compliance. For many riders, the most significant change will be the war on illegal number plates.
The end of the “Ghost Plate” era?
In recent years, “ghost plates”—illegal number plates designed to be “invisible” to Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras—have been a growing concern. Whether they use 3D/4D raised characters or infrared-reflective coatings, the 2026 Road Safety Strategy is clear: they have no place on our roads.
Ghost plates are intentionally designed to be invisible to ANPR cameras. That makes it difficult to catch riders and drivers breaking safety rules. Consultation on making the use of non-compliant plates an endorsable offence is already underway. If this is approved, instead of a simple £100 fine for using illegal plates, riders could face 3 penalty points on their license too.
The DVLA is also gaining powers to strictly audit plate suppliers and make sure all number plates meet the BS AU 145e standard. This standard requires plates to be made of a single shade of black without 3D/4D effects and free of any coatings that interfere with camera systems.
Harsher Penalties for 2026
The strategy also targets “high-harm” offenses with increased severity. If you’re riding for work or pleasure, staying legal has never been more important:
- Unlicensed and Uninsured Riding: The government is seeking views on doubling fines and making vehicle seizure more frequent for those riding without the correct entitlement or insurance.
- Drink and Drug Driving: A new consultation is exploring lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to 22µg (matching Scotland) and introducing “alcolocks” for repeat offenders.
- MOT and Tax: With ANPR technology now more advanced, the “grace period” for a missed MOT or tax payment has effectively vanished. Automated systems now flag non-compliant vehicles in real-time.
Motorcycle Tax Rates 2026
While the strategy looks at bringing changes to motorcycle tax and registration, you still need to manage the admin of today. As of April 2025, even electric motorcycles have to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Here are the current rates for 2026:
Road Safety Strategy and UK Motorcycle Licence Reform 2026: Your Questions Answered
The government is currently consulting on simplifying the staged approach to motorcycle licensing. This includes potentially replacing some repetitive tests with training-based progression, digitising the CBT system to reduce fraud, and possibly bringing in a minimum learning period for new riders.
We are some of the most vulnerable road users, representing 21% of road deaths despite making up just 1% of traffic. The strategy prioritises us through specific UK motorcycle licensing reform, rural road improvements like Project PRIME, and harsher penalties for those who put riders at risk (like uninsured drivers).
It’s a comprehensive government plan launched on January 7th, 2026 to reduce deaths and serious injuries on UK roads by 65% by 2035. The strategy moves away from “blaming the road user” to using the Safe System approach to make roads, vehicles, and training safer for everyone.
The future of riding in the UK and motorcycle licensing reform in 2026
The 2026 Road Safety Strategy marks a turning point for the motorcycling community. While it brings stricter enforcement on things like “ghost plates” and a potential minimum learning period, the ultimate goal is a safer, more accessible path to a full licence.
By moving beyond the “permanent learner” status and investing in higher-level training, you aren’t just complying with new laws—you’re significantly reducing your risk on the road.
Ready to move beyond your CBT? Don’t wait for UK motorcycle licensing reform 2026 to catch you out. Get the skills, confidence, and freedom of a full motorcycle licence today. Book your motorcycle training with us and join the next generation of safe, skilled UK riders.
