No 'Who relief for short hauls
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AN ATTEMPT by several EEC countries to exclude well over 20 per cent of the Common Market's transport fleet from tachograph regulations has been turned down by the Brussels Commission.
The Government — which included Ireland and Belgium — asked for exemption in the case of drivers engaged on local delivery work.
Britain has not approached the Brussels Commission but Brian Key (Labour MP for Yorkshire South in the European Parliament) claims that Westminster is also interested in a derogation.
In a written question to the Commission this month he asks for exemption for drivers who regularly operate within 50km (about 30 miles) radius of base which involves no more than four hours driving a day.
The Commission replied that it did not consider that further proposals to amend the tachograph rule would be appropriate.
A senior Commission official told CM this week: "There is no reason why short-haul drivers should be treated differently.
"They can also drive for excessive hours and statistics show that they are involved in more accidents than drivers on long-haul.
Short-haul drivers were excluded temporarily under the original tachograph regulation, but this exemption ended on July 1.