Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the temporary increase to the maximum daily working hours for HGV drivers on road safety.

It is important to note that the relaxations made to the drivers’ hours rules are limited in nature. No requirements of the rules, whether it be breaks during the day, daily & weekly rest periods, or weekly and fortnightly driving limits, have been removed. The rules have been relaxed in a controlled way.

The drivers’ hours relaxation requires compensatory rest when the option to amend weekly rest patterns is taken. This is designed to combat cumulative fatigue and is very similar to a provision in force across the UK and EU permanently for some international driving.

There is published guidance about the circumstances in which the temporary relaxations can be used. There must be evidence of detriment to the wider community, that the relaxation leads to a significant improvement and that driver safety must not be compromised. In respect of detriment and safety there are specific benchmarks.

The rules are enforced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) who also collect data on compliance.