Mass Driving Test Strike Hits Across UK
Driving examiners who are members of the PCS union are set to strike over pay, pensions, jobs, and redundancy terms. The industrial action will hit thousands of driving tests nationwide from December 2022 into January 2023.
Which Driving Tests Are At Risk?
The strike could disrupt a wide variety of tests, including:
- Car driving tests
- Motorcycle tests
- Vocational tests: lorry, bus, coach, and minibus driving
- Tractor and specialist vehicle tests
- Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) part 2 (driving ability) and part 3 (instructional ability) tests
- ADI standards checks
- Moped and motorcycle compulsory basic training (CBT) checks (but not the training itself)
Good news: Theory tests will go ahead unaffected by the strike.
Private Test Providers Not Affected
If your test is booked with a private provider, you’re in the clear. This includes some Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) tests such as part 3a off-road exercises and part 4 practical demonstrations, which won’t be impacted.
Strike Dates and Locations: Check Your Test Centre Now!
The PCS union confirmed driving examiners at numerous test centres will strike. The full impact will only be clear on the day of the strikes, so keep an eye on updates. Here’s a rundown of the main areas and test centres affected:
North-east England & Scotland
Includes Aberdeen North & South, Airdrie, Ayr, Bishopbriggs, Blyth, Darlington, Dundee, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Paisley, Perth, Stirling, Sunderland, and more.
North-west England & Yorkshire and the Humber
Centres include Atherton, Barnsley, Barrow in Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford, Carlisle, Chester, Doncaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, York, and others.
East, West Midlands & Parts of London
Areas impacted include Birmingham, Basildon, Cambridge, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, stoke-on-trent/" title="Stoke-on-Trent" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, and London boroughs like Barking and Barnet.
London, South-east, South-west England & Wales
Test centres such as Ashford, Aylesbury, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Exeter, Farnborough, Gloucester, Oxford, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, and more are set to be affected.
For full details on whether your driving test centre will be affected, check with the DVSA regularly and keep tabs on PCS union updates. Plan ahead to avoid disappointment!
