TEMPORARY RELAXATION OF DRIVING HOURS AND WORKING TIME RULES

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No: 1086/10 Ref: 202 Date: 6th December 2010



To All Postal Branches
To All Area Distribution Representative
To All Divisional Representatives
To All Regional Organisers


Dear Colleague

TEMPORARY RELAXATION OF DRIVING HOURS AND WORKING TIME RULES

The relevant departments were contacted over the weekend by the business to explain that the Department of Transport had issued a temporary emergency relaxation of the enforcement of EU driving hours and working time rules.

Attached to this LTB is a document that fully explains the situation and as we understand it, WTL’s and local briefings will take place with management explaining the details to our members.

Against that backdrop, please ensure that all relevant representatives are aware of this temporary change so that they may respond from an informed position to any enquiries they may receive.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, email dwyatt@cwu.org, quoting reference 202.

Yours sincerely




Terry Pullinger Phil Browne
Assistant Secretary Acting Assistant Secretary

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e-news extra
3 December 2010


Temporary relaxation of the enforcement of Drivers' Hours and Working Time Rules in Great Britain



The Department for Transport has agreed to a temporary, and limited, emergency relaxation (not suspension) in Great Britain of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours and working-time rules for ALL hauliers suffering supply chain problems caused by the recent heavy snowfalls and icy weather.

This temporary relaxation applies immediately and will run until 23:59 on 7 December 2010. The Department will review the relaxation in the light of weather conditions early next week.

This relaxation does not affect other relaxations which have already been granted, to specific transport sectors for longer periods.

For those drivers and work in question, the EU drivers’ hours rules will be temporarily relaxed as follows:-
Replace the EU daily driving limit of 9 hours with one of 10 hours
Reduce the daily rest requirements from 11 to 9 hours.
Lift the weekly (56 hours) and fortnightly driving limit (90 hours).
Postponing the weekly rest requirement until 23:59 on 7 December 2010, at which stage a driver has to take a normal weekly rest of 45 hours.
Notwithstanding the postponement of the weekly rest requirement (see preceding bullet point), a driver must take a minimum rest of 24 hours beginning no later than the end of the eleventh day since the end of his last weekly rest period.
The requirement to take a 45 minute break after 4½ hours driving remains and will continue to be rigorously enforced.

The enforcement of working time rules has also been relaxed for this period to allow drivers to work up to 66 hours instead of the usual 60 hour weekly maximum. This extra time should be recorded, but does not count for the purposes of determining average working time

The practical implementation of the temporary relaxation should be through agreement between employers and employees and/or driver representatives.

The Department also wishes to make clear that driver safety must not be jeopardised. Drivers should not be expected to drive whilst tired - employers remain responsible for the safety of their employees and other road users.

The drivers in question must note on the back of their tachograph charts or printouts the reasons why they are exceeding the normally permitted limits. This is usual practice in emergencies and is, of course, essential for enforcement purposes.

The temporary relaxation of the rules described above reflects the exceptional circumstances of the extreme weather conditions.

The Department wishes to emphasise that, as a general rule it expects business to plan for and manage the risks of disruption to supply chains.

Members with urgent queries regarding the drivers’ hours rules and working time relaxation should contact FTA’s Member Advice Centre by e-mailing your name, telephone number and brief outline of question to: steve_sally@tiscali.co.uk after 0900 on Saturday morning. MEMBERS WITH QUERIES AFTER 8.30AM ON MONDAY MORNING SHOULD CALL THE MAC ON 0870 60 50 000.


Contacting FTA
Member Advice Centre - for enquiries about the law and transport operations
0870 605 0000
Member Service Centre - for enquiries about FTA membership and services
08717 11 22 22

[fishtank]

So we get severe driving conditions and the majority of H&S regulations in place to protect both the public and the driver get heaved out the window.
You couldn't make this s**t up....

[banner18]

Safety is a number one priority is it?
Obviously there are other priorities that supercede health and safety.

[BELIAL]

Simples ,if your artic ploughs into a bus queue in the snow then there's less delayed commuters

[DGP1]

Simples ,if your artic ploughs into a bus queue in the snow then there's less delayed commuters

I like the way your mind thinks.......................do you want an official job in the Government