A European law which will prevent motorcyclists from taking their driving tests on urban roads has been branded "ludicrous" by a Sussex MP.

Under an EU directive coming into force next year motorcyclists must perform an emergency stop at 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph) as part of a tougher new test.

The exercise would push riders over the British 30 mph speed limit for built-up areas.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA), fearing it will not be safe to carry out the new higher speed and braking manoeuvres on other public roads, is to spend more than £60 million on dozens of new off-road centres across the country.

Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman confirmed that Eastbourne and Burgess Hill were among 67 locations earmarked for new "multi-purpose" test centres.

The DSA, which has been charged with implementing the new directive by October 2008, said sites for the two Sussex centres had not yet been acquired.

The directive will see the Practical Motorcycle Test replaced by a new two-part test including an eight minute demonstration of machine control at the off-road facilities.

The centres will be used for a new "swerve and brake" course and a slalom-style manoeuvre.

Mr Ladyman admitted to MPs that the "acquisition, design, construction and development" of the new centres would cost more than £60 million.

Another £537,000 would be required for "equipment, training and site set-up costs".

Nigel Waterson, Conservative MP for Eastbourne, said: "We have managed perfectly satisfactorily for many years running our own motorcycle tests so why do we need to import one from the EU which will cost millions of pounds?

"It's utterly ludicrous, a waste of money and time and another example of a mad initiative coming from Brussels."

Bill Wiggin MP, co-chairman of the all-party Parliamentary Motorcycling Group, said: "If the Government had demonstrated some common sense and listened to the concerns raised by the motorcycling lobby, this could have been avoided.

"Instead of building testing sites, the Government could have been using themoney to improve road safety."

But a Department of Transport spokesman said: "Just one per cent of road traffic is made up of motorcyclists but they account for 17 per cent of road deaths. This new test will play a vital role in preparing learner riders for the road."

He said the test would save money because each road crash death costs an estimated £1.5 million in emergency services funding and traffic jams.