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EEC hours law will cost £300m a year

23rd May 1975, Page 5
23rd May 1975
Page 5
Page 5, 23rd May 1975 — EEC hours law will cost £300m a year
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IMPLEMENTATION of EEC Regulation 543/69 which governs drivers' hours will cost British operators £300m a year in drivers' wages, payment for additional drivers, negotiated higher speeds and increased subsistence payments, according to the Freight Transport Association.

In a submission to the DoE the FTA counts the cost of the EEC regulation which is scheduled to become law on January 1, 1976. In the own account sector alone additional costs are expected to reach £130m a year, says the Association.

Because of this burden, the FTA urges the Government to get implementation of the regulation deferred. It is producing a detailed costs survey — results are now being analysed—which it is to submit to the DoE soon.

The FTA suggests a number of amendments to the proposed regulations, although these do not prejudice the Association's overall case for a deferment of the regulations.

281-mile limit

The FTA wants the rule limiting the distance one driver can cover per day to 450km (281 miles) to be removed. It believes that other European organisations feel the same way. There is no case "on safety, social or any other grounds" to justify such a limit, says the FTA, If trade and industry is to function efficiently, then a number of concessions are required on amendments to EEC 543/69. These include: 0 the exemption from the need to comply with hours and records requirements of parttime drivers; 0 a similar exemption for drivers engaged on multi-delivery work; 0 exemption for drivers of electric vehicles; 0 concessions for drivers engaged on a journey to or from any European development area (particularly Scotland).

The Association says there is no justification for non-driving crew members having to comply with hours and records laws.

Special difficulties are likely to result in the UK, says the FTA, from the inclusion in EEC documents of "maximum permitted weights" as a point of demarcation. In this country there are many trailers of less than 1020kg (1 ton) unladen which are unplated and for which the maximum permitted weight is not known.

The FTA takes the view that trailer weight should be ignored, except in the case of articulated vehicles.

The FTA goes on to list a number of less important points which require amendment: a better definition of " driving" is required; the weekly rest period could be as much as 35 hours making difficulties in scheduling; and the restriction on driving of 92 hours in two consecutive weeks is unnecessary.

Unless the DoE acts to repel existing UK legislation, a "worst of both worlds" situation could result in Britain with EEC and domestic legislation running alongside each other.

Finally, the FTA comments on the draft Second Social Regulation. "The Association is fundamentally opposed to the draft regulation in principle on the ground that it is costly, largely impracticable and irrelevant to road safety," says its submission.

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