Working Time Regulation for Mobile Workers Reading Answers

Oct 18, 2025

The Working Time Regulation for Mobile Workers Reading Answers consists of 6 questions and forms part of the evaluation framework for the IELTS General Reading test. Candidates have a time limit of 10 minutes to complete the Working Time Regulation for Mobile Workers Reading Answers. This portion of the IELTS reading evaluation includes various types of questions, including selecting only one word from the text for each answer.

Working Time Regulation for Mobile Workers Reading Answers provides a thorough examination of drivers and crew operating heavy goods or public service vehicles, who are restricted to an average of 48 hours of work per week, along with specific regulations regarding night work and work counted. Availability periods and breaks typically do not count as working time, while active tasks such as driving or loading are considered work. For further practice with similar reading evaluations, candidates can check the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

Working Time Regulation for Mobile Workers

These rules apply to drivers and crew of heavy goods vehicles or public service vehicles. The rules limit the amount of time that can be worked.

Those defined in the Regulations as being self-employed are currently not covered by the Regulations.

What are the limits?

An average of 48 hours’ work per week.
In any single week up to 60 hours can be worked so long as the 48-hour average is maintained.
Night work is limited to 10 hours per night, unless there is a workforce agreement to work longer.
Statutory annual leave and any sick leave and/or maternity/paternity leave counts as working time.

What counts as work?

In general, any activity performed in connection with the transport operation counts as work, for example, driving, loading/unloading and those checks that are the responsibility of drivers, such as checking lights, brakes, etc.

There are a number of periods of time that do not count as work, for example, travelling between home and your normal place of work, lunch or other breaks, and periods of availability.

Periods of availability are periods of time during which the mobile worker is not required to remain at their workstation but is required to be available for work, the foreseeable duration of which is known about in advance, for example:

Delays at a distribution centre.
Reporting for work then being informed that no duties are to be undertaken for a specified period.
Accompanying a vehicle being transported, for example by train.

A period of availability can be taken at the workstation when the driver has a reasonable amount of freedom (e.g. they can read and relax) for a known duration; this could satisfy the requirements of a period of availability.

Situations when a period of time should not be recorded as a period of availability:

Hold-ups due to congestion, because the driver would be stopping and starting the vehicle.
Frequently moving up within a queue (e.g. in order to load or unload) every other minute

QUESTIONS 21-27

CHOOSE ONE WORD ONLY FROM THE TEXT FOR EACH ANSWER.

WRITE YOUR ANSWERS IN BOXES 21-27 ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET.

Working Time Regulations for Mobile Workers These apply to people working on lorries, buses, etc.

They don't apply to 21 ………………..

Answer: self-employed

Supporting statement: “Those defined in the Regulations as being self-employed are currently not covered by the Regulations.”

Keywords: self-employed, not covered

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, line 1

Explanation: The rules do not apply to self-employed workers.

Workers. Maximum working hours: 60 hours a week, provided the 22……………………

Answer: average

Supporting statement: “In any single week up to 60 hours can be worked so long as the 48-hour average is maintained.”

Keywords: 48-hour average, maintained

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, lines 1–2

Explanation: The weekly work limit of 60 hours is permitted only if the 48-hour average per week is maintained.

is no more than 48 hours. Night work can be more than 10 hours with the 23……………. of the workers.

Answer: agreement

Supporting statement: “Night work is limited to 10 hours per night, unless there is a workforce agreement to work longer.”

Keywords: workforce agreement, longer

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 1–2

Explanation: Night work can exceed 10 hours only if there is a workforce agreement.

Work includes driving, loading and unloading, and carrying out various 24………………… of the vehicle.

Answer: checks

Supporting statement: “In general, any activity performed in connection with the transport operation counts as work, for example, driving, loading/unloading and those checks that are the responsibility of drivers, such as checking lights, brakes, etc.”

Keywords: checks, responsibility, drivers

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 2–4

Explanation: Checks carried out on the vehicle are considered part of work.

Periods of availability include:

going on a 25……………… or other form of transport with a vehicle

Answer: train

Supporting statement: “Accompanying a vehicle being transported, for example by train.”

Keywords: vehicle, transported, train

Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, line 2

Explanation: Traveling with a vehicle by train counts as a period of availability.

a period at the workstation when the driver has some 26………………… might count as a period of availability

Answer: freedom

Supporting statement: “A period of availability can be taken at the workstation when the driver has a reasonable amount of freedom (e.g. they can read and relax) for a known duration; this could satisfy the requirements of a period of availability.”

Keywords: freedom, read, relax

Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, lines 3–5

Explanation: A driver’s reasonable freedom at the workstation can count as availability time.

Periods of availability exclude:

time spent stopping and starting the vehicle when 27……………………. causes delays being in a queue, e.g. in order to load or unload.

Answer: congestion

Supporting statement: “Hold-ups due to congestion, because the driver would be stopping and starting the vehicle.”

Keywords: hold-ups, congestion, stopping

Keyword Location: Paragraph 10, lines 1–2

Explanation: Time lost due to congestion, causing the driver to stop and start, does not count as availability.

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