Orkney gearing up for course to improve motorcyclist safety

A training scheme to help reduce the number of collisions involving motorcyclists is being held in Orkney during September.

The “Rider Refinement North” one day course is run by Police Scotland, along with road safety partners, and will take place in the county on Sunday 17 September.

The course, which is the only one of its kind in Scotland, aims to support motorcyclists to ride responsibly and reduce the number of collisions – saving lives on our roads.

Previous courses received positive feedback from riders who changed their riding style and improved their skills as a result.

Inspector Greg Burns from Road Policing said he hopes the course will continue to attract riders who recognise this as a gateway to advanced riding.

“A significant number of fatal collisions in the north area of the country involve motorcyclists. With great roads and scenery in Tayside, Grampian and Highland and Islands, motorcyclists from both the local area and from further afield love nothing more than to get out into the countryside to enjoy riding their bikes, especially in the warmer weather.

“The police motorcyclists leading the training will promote safe riding messages and encourage riders to think about their riding style and riding behaviour. We want participants to take advantage of the expert tuition and advice we will be providing.”

Police Scotland Inspector, David Hall, who is based at Kirkwall Police Station, said: “Unfortunately, Orkney has had its fair share of tragedy on the roads and that includes motorcyclist fatalities or those left with life-changing injuries. We would certainly encourage all motorcyclists to give this course a go – nothing to lose and lots to gain. Whilst motorcyclists are not in control of other driver behaviour, they can use this course to equip themselves with all the tools possible to try and make every outing a safe one.”

Councillor David Dawson, Chair of the Orkney Road Safety Forum, added: “Improving motorcyclist safety remains a priority. Providing practical training for riders where they can improve their skills and understanding of risks through controlled exercises is a vital part of this.

“Motorcyclists are vastly over-represented in serious road injuries, so I hope that Orkney’s motorcyclists will take up this opportunity to both become a safer road user and improve their overall riding experience through better bike handling skills.”

The cost of the course is £40 per rider and includes lunch. Anyone interested in attending the course can email operationriderrefinementnorth@scotland.police.uk