Labour has been urged to close what critics have described as a major driving licence “loophole” following growing concerns about road safety in London.
The London Assembly has voted to call on the Government to ban people with provisional licences from using them for commercial work, including food delivery jobs.
The proposal was put forward by Conservative Assembly Member Thomas Turrell, who said the current rules allow some riders to work on London’s roads without ever passing a full driving test.
He said: “Londoners want to know that our roads are safe, and that people are not maliciously exploiting loopholes in the rules to enable them to drive without proper qualifications.”
“This must stop, and I am pleased that the Assembly has supported my motion calling for reforms to achieve just that,” he added.
The debate focused on the growing number of moped riders working in the food delivery sector using only Compulsory Basic Training.
CBT allows riders to use small motorcycles or mopeds after completing basic training. Unlike the driving theory test, which expires after two years if a full test is not passed, CBT can currently be renewed over and over again without requiring riders to take a full motorcycle test.
During the debate, Mr Turrell described the system as an “L plate loophole” that has created what he called a “permanent learner crisis”.
The new safety rules follow reports of riders working on London’s roads without a full driving licence
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PAHe argued that CBT was never designed to be a long-term alternative to a full licence. “It is an afternoon in a car park learning the basics of the road,” he said, adding that it should not allow someone to ride indefinitely on public roads.
Mr Turrell also pointed out that the CBT system has remained largely unchanged for decades.
“It is older than me. A lot has changed in my lifetime. The CBT hasn’t,” he told fellow Assembly members.
The motion called on the Mayor of London to press the Government for three key changes. The first would see motorcycle theory and hazard perception tests added to the CBT process, with training also moved onto a digital platform.
The second proposal would introduce a limit on how many times riders can renew their CBT certificate, encouraging them to pass a full motorcycle test within a set period.
The Assembly called for the ban on provisional licences being used for commercial work, including food delivery jobs.
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GETTYThe third, and most significant, proposal would ban people with provisional licences from carrying out commercial work in London, including delivering food.
The Assembly also argued that anyone driving professionally on public roads should hold a full driving licence.
Assembly Member Keith Garrett, who seconded the motion, said many people misunderstand what CBT is intended to do. “The CBT is not a test – the T stands for training, not test,” he said.
Mr Garrett explained that motorcycle learners are trained differently from car drivers because instructors cannot sit alongside them with dual controls. Instead, riders first demonstrate they can safely control a bike before moving onto the road.
The London Assembly has called for more scrutiny of driving licences
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GETTYHe warned that too many people now treat CBT as a permanent licence for smaller motorcycles rather than a stepping stone towards gaining a full licence.
Assembly members also criticised gig economy companies, arguing that some firms benefit from the current rules while avoiding responsibilities around worker safety.
Assembly Member Susan Hall Baker supported the proposal, stating the Assembly wanted to tackle the way some gig economy firms “are using these loopholes and aren‘t taking responsibility for the sort of training and equipment and safety incidents that they should be doing, considering they are making money out of these people riding for work.“
She also noted that Transport for London has previously backed reforms to CBT, including adding motorcycle theory and hazard perception tests to the training process.