Ipswich Rider Training has become one of the top training schools in the UK having achieved Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) accreditation status.

The award is the result of a year of hard work for Ros Jones and the school’s team of instructors, workshop and administration staff.

Ros had to achieve a personal qualification and prove she was competent to run a motorcycle training centre with robust inspections covering health and safety, customer care, policies and procedures, and management of teams including training and developing the skills of instructors.

The centre, at Dales Road Business Centre in Wharfedale Road, will now be checked annually to ensure it maintains the high standards expected by the Motorcycle Industry Accreditation Centre (MCIAC) which also will be constantly assessing feedback from trainees.

“We are one of the pioneers which is why we are one of only six in the country at the current time to get this award,” she said. “It is very challenging.

“It was about producing a centre which is continually subject to quality assurance while recognising that being flexible and adaptive is also critically important.”

The accreditation is supported by all the major motorcycle manufacturers who were heavily involved in the concept behind the award. They are committed to improving the standard of training and customer experience for people who buy their bikes.

Ros explained that when she did her own training, and passed her test in 1990, it was a male-dominated industry with very poor standards of customer service. Trainers were often patronising and discourteous, especially to women and those with special needs who found it an intimidating environment.

“I have been running this school the best I can right from the time I started it in 1997. I have continually invested and we have grown to have a reputation for excellence. We have, I believe, achieved an established place in the motorcycling community.”

Ipswich Rider Training has 13 instructors, male and female, and runs about 1,300 courses a year from compulsory basic training (CBT), both standard and higher level renewals after two years, to A1, A2 and A full licence courses for all sizes of bike.

It also offers intensive three-day courses and flexible pay-as-you-go arrangements with great availability.

Ipswich Rider Training is at Unit 17, Dales Road Business Centre, Wharfedale Road, Ipswich. For more information telephone 01473 463123 or log on to the website at www.ipswichridertraining.co.uk