Denis helps to get safer motorcyclists on the road
Last updated 16:01, Wednesday, 22 October 2008
AS Trainrite’s first bike instructor, Denis Hetherington fully expected to be transporting students to Carlisle’s Test Centre from October when it was planned that the Workington Test Centre would close.
But after the decision to close the centre was deferred for six months until March 30 2009, Trainrite is making the most of the opportunity for local bikers to take and pass their tests in Workington.
Trainrite, based at Lillyhall Business Centre on Jubilee Road, has opened a new Compulsory Bike Test (CBT) training facility and Denis is helping new motorcyclists get on the road.
The training company has invested in six new Suzuki bikes, four learner bikes and two-high powered bikes for instructors, making it a seven-day-a-week facility.
CBT training is a one-day course which enables a motorcyclist to remain a learner driver for two years, but after that they must either retake their CBT or take the full bike test to stay on the road.
In his first three weeks as Trainrite’s bike instructor, Denis has already seen more than a dozen students through their CBT’s as well as his first student through the two-day course that helped them pass the full bike test.
Denis, 53, of Maryport, decided to join Trainrite because of the professional way the company operates and its dynamic plans for the future, which included the new purpose-built CBT training site at Lillyhall.
But it was the fact that Trainrite planned ahead for the new tests and new test centre training that impressed him most, and he said he is fully behind their safe driving philosophy.
“Trainrite has already thought through the issues to be faced when forced to train and test in Carlisle.
“Our customers will have extra needs that include safe, cost-effective transport to Carlisle for themselves and their bikes.
“Transport has been included as part of our packages because we don’t want inexperienced motorcyclists having to ride some of the county’s most treacherous roads for training.”
Denis said he has already noticed a trend appearing in his new role.
“There is definitely an increase in the number of bikes on the road in West Cumbria: some of our students work at Sellafield and while they were two-car families, they are now opting to sell one car and take a bike to work.
“It gives them easy access to Sellafield because it avoids the two-person rule applied to travelling on site in cars.”
John Caffrey, managing director at Trainrite, said: “Denis is fitting in very well at Trainrite, and like most of our other instructors he is keen to learn more than one discipline. Shortly he will train to become a fork-lift instructor which will give him variety.
“It is the fact that our staff are very multi-skilled that makes us competitive. Our staff are flexible and they all have the same safety conscious ethos.”
The new bike training facility, approved at the end of August just in time for the new instructor to start, is already proving popular. To mark its launch Trainrite is offering a two-day full bike test free of charge for the 100th booking.
Trainrite offers specialist courses in industry skills including LGV tests, fork-lift driving, overhead crane work, erecting scaffolding, operating mobile elevated work platforms, mini diggers and dump trucks.
For more information on the training facility or becoming a motorcycle instructor contact Trainrite on 01900 68040 or email trainrite@btconnect.com
