Industrial Action – which strikes will affect UK bikers
With industrial action taking place across the UK this winter, we’ve taken a look at all the strikes happening, highlighting which ones could affect you.
THE winter of 2023 may well be remembered as when many workers took to the picket line, as strikes are taking place from now, until the new year.
Many of those strikes are affecting public services like ambulance staff, nurses, and Royal Mail workers, although there are also some that will affect UK road users.
To help you find out who is striking and when, we’ve compiled a page to keep you updated with all the industrial action planned for December 2023.
Driving examiner strike action
Of the sectors striking that could affect you, one of the largest and longest pieces of industrial action is from driving examiners. It’s affecting four and two-wheeled tests, and will happen across the country at different times in different regions. That means you might have the chance to switch to another test centre if you can get an appointment, although, given the waiting time for a practical motorcycle test already being high, the chances of that are slim.
The northeast of England and Scotland will see examiner strikes from the 13th to 18th of December, northwest England and Yorkshire and the Humber the 19th to 24th, East of England, East Midlands and West Midlands the 28th of December to Saturday 31st of December, and Tuesday 3rd January, and London, south-east England, south-west England and Wales seeing strikes from the 4th January to Tuesday the 10th January.
It's important to note this does not affect motorcycle training centres, just testing centres where full and restricted licence testing is carried out. That means you can still book a CBT throughout December without any issues.
Highway worker strike action
National Highways workers plan to strike throughout December and into January, with action affecting highways workers at the same time as the scheduled RMT rail strikes. The two strikes together could increase traffic on the roads, meaning you should plan your journey if you are heading out on the bike or in the car.
The northwest, Yorkshire and Humber and the northeast will see strike action on the 16th and 17th of December, London and the southeast on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th, the west midlands and southwest on the 30th and 31st, and east midlands and eastern areas on the 6th and 7th of January.
Welsh Motorcycle Tour on Electric Bikes
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
