• Political pressure is mounting to include Europe's truck drivers
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in the Working Time Directive's 48-hour working week limit in the aftermath of the Paddington train disaster.
Rail employers are arguing in Brussels that they cannot afford to include their drivers in this EU legislation while truck drivers continue to be exempt because it would undercut the economic viability of rail.
But public pressure to improve rail safety by cutting train drivers' hours could
speed up the negotiations to include HGV drivers in the 48hour rules.
Europe's social affairs ministers are attempting to limit train drivers to a 48-hour week while transport ministers are discussing the same move for HGV drivers, who can currently work more than 80 hours a week.
Negotiations on truck drivers have reached a stalemate because some countries, including the UK, want owner-drivers to be excluded from the tighter hours limits.