The new Rider Resilience Programme by Sussex and Surrey Police is backed by the Road Safety Trust and will be free of charge, aiming to reduce road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists.

Phoenix Motorcycle Training’s leading road safety training professionals will provide expert instruction on how to avoid common errors leading to crashes.

Throughout March and April, Sussex and Surrey Police will trial free rider training for local motorcyclists previously involved and injured in a crash to help prevent future accidents, with the programme being funded by the Road Safety Trust.

The project will be delivered by industry leading road safety training professionals providing expert instruction and has been developed around the main causes of motorcycle collisions.

The new Rider Resilience Programme by Sussex and Surrey Police is backed by the Road Safety Trust and will be free of charge, aiming to reduce road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists. Picture contributed

placeholder image — The new Rider Resilience Programme by Sussex and Surrey Police is backed by the Road Safety Trust and will be free of charge, aiming to reduce road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists. Picture contributed

Practical training has been designed specifically to help prevent similar accidents from happening again, with the programme being rolled out nationwide in 2027 if successful.

The Rider Resilience Programme requires participants to attend DVSA Burgess Hill for a four-hour practical riding session conducted by Phoenix PROskills coaches to address issues involving their crash, as well as online learning modules and completing a survey before and after the course.

To be eligible, riders in the Sussex and Surrey areas must have been involved in a motorcycle collision in the last two years, have a valid UK driving licence suitable for their motorcycle, a roadworthy motorcycle, and appropriate protective clothing including a helmet and gloves.

The latest Government statistics indicate motorcyclists account for 12.3 per cent (15,626) of all 127,161 reported road casualties of all severities in Great Britain. That’s a decrease of six per cent compared to 2024 and a 22 per cent decrease from a decade ago in 2015.

Despite overall casualties on a downward trend, 367 fatalities during the same period saw a 14 per cent uplift over 2024, and a seven per cent increase since 2015.

PC Steve Bucksey from the Sussex Police Road Safety Team, and leading the programme, said: “Motorcycling offers a sense of freedom and excitement, but we recognise that collisions can happen – and when they do, the difference between a minor injury and a life-changing or fatal outcome can be incredibly small.

“We're inviting motorcyclists in Sussex and Surrey who have been involved in a collision to join our pilot programme.

“This course has been developed around the main causes of motorcycle collisions, with practical training designed to help prevent them from happening again.

“By taking part, you'll gain skills to keep yourself safer on the road, while helping us create a programme that could benefit riders across the country in the future.”

Full details of the Rider Resilience Programme can be found here: https://orlo.uk/NN7Fw.