Rider Refinement North motorcycle safety courses set to return

POLICE Scotland and partner agencies are holding training courses for motorcyclists to help them ride responsibly and reduce the number of collisions.

Rider Refinement North is a one-day course that will take place between April and October in Inverurie, Elgin, Perth, Dingwall, Stornoway and Orkney. It is the only course of its kind in Scotland.

The course aims to raise awareness of the importance of road safety and make riders think of the personal consequences of taking risks.

Led by police motorcyclists and accompanied by an observer from the Institute of Advance Motorists, the course will look at key risk factors and provide riders with the knowledge and skills to be safer.

The course involves demonstration rides and observed rides with feedback from officers, vehicle examination checks of riders’ bikes and safety checks that should be carried out before any journey.

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

Inspector Greg Burns from Road Policing said: “Rider Refinement North is the only course of its kind being offered in Scotland and I hope that it will continue to attract riders who recognise this course 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."

Joining forces with police on this initiative are Road Safety Scotland, Institute of Advance Motorists, Scottish Fire and Rescue, Highland Council, Tayside Road Safety Forum Partnership, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, Moray Council, Robert Gordon University and RoSPA.

The cost of the course is £40 per rider and includes lunch. Spaces are limited, so providing more than one date for attendance will increase the chances of being able to participate. Anyone interested in attending the course should email operationriderrefinementnorth@scotland.police.uk

The course is open to any qualified motorcyclist, however priority will be given to those living in Tayside, the north-east and Highland and Islands.

The dates the course will be running are: Elgin – August 27; Inverurie – April 29, May 14, July 8 and 22, August 20, October 7 and 28, Ladies Day May 27; Dingwall – April 16, May 7 and 21, July 2, August 6; Stornoway – June 17; Orkney – September 17; Perth – April 22, May 13, June 10, July 1 and 8, September 2, October 7.