Agreement in sight on haulage drivers’ hours
The Government has published its final draft regulations on the implementation of the EU’s Working Time Directive (WTC) on road transport into UK law.
The Directive will come into force next March, and will regulate the hours that drivers and crew can work.
Main provisions are a maximum average 48 hour week, calculated over a four month period, a maximum of 60 hours in any working week and the restriction of night workers to 10 hours working time over the 24 hour period.
However, there are a number of flexibilities built into the regulations, whereby an arrangement can lead to average hours being calculated over a six month, rather than four month period, and possibly more night working hours.
Though safety campaigners have welcomed the Directive as ensuring safer roads, some haulage companies are concerned by rising business costs.
Interested parties now have six weeks to respond to the Government’s proposals, but the Government does not anticipate any new objections being raised.
Speaking today, Transport Minister, David Jamieson said: “Commercial drivers and crew are just about the last group of workers to receive working time protection. The new regulations and guidance include a simpler, more transparent, method of calculating average working time and also apply separate rules for occasional drivers.”
The broad thrust of the regulations was welcomed by industry body the Freight Transport Association (FTA). It is particularly happy with the flexibility introduced by the Government. FTA policy director James Hookham said: “The regulations and the guidance note show the great strides that FTA has made in getting flexibility and common sense into the Working Time Directive.
“The wins we achieved in April have all been confirmed: extended night time working; extended averaging periods; night hours that suit the freight sector; and a sensible interpretation of what counts as a period of availability. Obviously if we can get training to be excluded from the working time count as well, it would be win-win for employers and drivers.”
He said that the industry must now concentrate on implementing the regulations, and announced the provision of specialist advisory services for its members.
