Drivers' hours exemptions f c r o o n m tin p u a e g d e 13
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from the normal daily duty periods of 11 hours and the 121-hour spreadover. In both cases an extension to 14 hours has been granted.
Drivers of vehicles on journeys which involve the use of sea ferry crossings from and to places in Great Britain, provided the goods are not removed from the vehicle and the same driver accompanies the vehicle during the whole of its journey, may extend their spreadover period from 12+ to 14 hours.
The exemption which previously applied to emergency situations has been changed with the effect of reducing the freedom which was allowed when this exemption was first introduced. The daily rest period of 11 hours or 11 hours on aggregate has been reduced to 10 hours or 10 on aggregate when interrupted by emergency work. However, the weekly duty period, which hitherto has not been limited in that the normal weekly duty period could be extended by the length of time spent on the emergency situation, has now been restricted to 66 hours during the working week which must include the time spent on the emergency work.
Exemptions applying in other cases that were granted in the regulations which the new ones replace have been re-enacted in the new rules; these are work in connection with the handling of mail, the carriage of food and drink, animals, fish, agricultural produce, blood for transfusion purposes and exceptional loads accompanied by police escorts.
The exemptions which have obviously been granted at the request of the Freight Transport Association are welcomed by the PTA except for the restriction on emergency situations which it has asked the Minister to look at again with the object of providing more flexibility. The Association has also asked for consideration to be given to an extension of the exemption applying to the carriage of animal feedingstuffs to include bedding materials for livestock.
A full list of the changed and new exemptions follows: