Explanatory note

allowing a tolerance of 5cc below the minimum specified engine size for small, medium and large motorcycles that can be used for the test – categories A1, A2 and A;

reducing the minimum engine power requirement for medium motorcycles (category A2) used for the driving test;

raising the minimum engine power requirement for large motorcycles (category A) used for the driving test;

introducing a minimum mass weight requirement, for large motorcycles (category A) used for the driving test;

changing the prescribed load requirements in order to allow greater flexibility in the loads that may be used for training purposes (category C);

removing the need for 8-forward gear ratios for large test vehicles (category C);

allowing those persons who take a lorry or bus test (category C and D) on an automatic vehicle to gain a manual entitlement for those vehicles, if they already hold a manual entitlement in the following categories: B, BE, C, CE, C1, C1E, D, DE, D1E (cars, lorries and buses, with or without trailers);

applying the same flexibility (whereby a person taking a test on a large automatic vehicle is given a manual entitlement if they already hold a manual entitlement in another category), to existing automatic licence holders (apart from motorcycles) when they exchange their licence for any reason; and

an amendment to allow drivers being at least 21 years of age holding a full category B licence, to gain entitlement to ride motor tricycles on that licence, as allowed under Article 6(3)(a) of Directive 2006/126/EC.