Drivers' hours rules relaxed on livestock haulage
Date: 10 October 2007
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The government last week relaxed drivers' hours regulations in order to cope with the livestock haulage problems arising from the recent foot and mouth outbreak.
These relaxations include a daily driving limit of ten hours, up from the usual nine; a weekly rest period of 24 hours, down from the usual 45 hours; and no weekly or fortnightly driving time limits, which are currently set at 56 and 90 hours.
Andy Robertson, chief executive of NFU Scotland, commented: "At last the UK government has woken up to the haulage problems we've been facing.
"It really shouldn't have taken this long for the Department for Transport to address this issue. It has taken a concerted campaign by the Scottish Government, NFUS, hauliers and others - including personal interventions by the Cabinet Secretary and First Minister - to finally get this much needed relaxation from London."
He stressed that the two outbreaks led to shorter sales times, with the accompanying danger that animals would be stranded and their welfare would be threatened.
The change means that freight haulage drivers can operate "with some much needed flexibility", he concluded.
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