EEC hours rule is infuriating drivers
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By CM reporter
• The anomalous rules for the working hours of British drivers of vehicles destined for the Continent have upset Mr Jackson Moore, general secretary of United Road Transport Union. He has been told by Department of Environment officials that nothing can be done about Common Market regulations requiring an eight-hour shift for British drivers of vehicles proceeding overseas.
Mr Moore, with other union colleagues, is to seek a meeting with Mr John Peyton, Minister for Transport Industries, to protest about a situation he regards as absurd.
In a circular to officials and executive members of URTU, Mr Moore says that "because we are now apparently accepting the EEC regulations on drivers' hours and records for any vehicle and/or trailer, it means . . . that it is not necessary for a driver and the motive unit to actually leave the country to be subjected to the EEC regulations instead of the domestic regulations.
"Ridiculous situations can come about such as two vehicles with trailers going, for example, from Birmingham to Southampton; driver 'A' simply dropping his trailer at some warehouse in South ampton for local transhipment, whilst driver '13' takes his container to the docks for forwarding to the Continent.
"Driver A, whose vehicle is performing a purely domestic service comes under the British drivers' hours and records regulations and is permitted 11 hours (sic), whilst driver B comes under the EEC regulations and is only permitted 8 hours."
Mr Moore's letter says there is a number of other anomalies which are likely to cause confusion and friction and he advises officials to get a copy of the Guide to International Goods Vehicle Drivers' Hours and Records published recently by the DoE (CM August 3).
Three committees of the Road Haulage Association — labour relations, commercial and special ad hoc EEC — are examining the implications of the new regulations as they apply to a driver taking a vehicle only as far as the port.
The trade unions will no doubt be on their guard against any employer seeking to take advantage of EEC rules for seven consecutive days after a visit to the docks with a trailer.