In response to requests from Industry, the Department for Transport has, pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, agreed to a temporary and limited urgent relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales for the drivers of vehicles involved in the delivery of food, non-food (personal care and household paper and cleaning) and over the counter pharmaceuticals when undertaking the following journeys:
-
Distribution centre to stores (or fulfilment centre)
-
From manufacturer or supplier to distribution centre (including backhaul collections)
-
From manufacturer or supplier to store (or fulfilment centre)
-
Between distribution centres and transport hub trunking
-
Transport hub deliveries to stores
This exemption does not apply to drivers undertaking deliveries directly to consumers.
This temporary relaxation applies from 00:01 on Wednesday 18 March 2020 and will run until 23:59 on Thursday 16 April 2020 and will apply only to the drivers specified in this notice. The Department reserves the right to withdraw the relaxation earlier or extend the relaxation if circumstances change.
The department wishes to make clear that driver safety must not be compromised. Drivers should not be expected to drive whilst tired - employers remain responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users.
For the drivers and work in question, the EU drivers’ hours rules can be temporarily relaxed as follows:
a) Replacement of the EU daily driving limit of 9 hours with one of 11 hours;
b) Reduction of the daily rest requirements from 11 to 9 hours;
c) Lifting the weekly (56 hours) and fortnightly driving limits (90 hours) to 60 and 96 hours respectively;
d) Postponement of the requirement to start a weekly rest period after six-24 hours periods, for after seven 24 hours period; although two regular weekly rest periods or a regular and a reduced weekly rest period will still be required within a fortnight;
e) The requirements for daily breaks of 45 minutes after 4.5 hours driving replaced with replaced with a break of 45 minutes after 5.5 hours of driving.
Drivers’ must not use relaxation ‘a’ and ‘d’ at the same time. This is to ensure drivers are able to get adequate rest.
The practical implementation of the temporary relaxation should be through agreement between employers and employees and/or driver representatives.
The drivers in question must note on the back of their tachograph charts or printouts the reasons why they are exceeding the normally permitted limits. This is usual practice in emergencies and is, of course, essential for enforcement purposes.
The temporary relaxation of the rules described above reflects the exceptional circumstances stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak. The department wishes to emphasise that, as a general rule, we expect business to plan for and manage the risks of disruption to supply chains.
All enquiries regarding interpretation of these temporary arrangements should, in the first instance, be made to the Freight Operator Licensing & Roadworthiness Division at the Department for Transport via the switchboard on 0207 944 3000 (during office hours) or to the DfT Duty Office on 0207 944 5999 (out of office hours).
We will keep these temporary arrangements under review.
17 March 2020, Department for Transport
So any infringements, during this period will be ignored, so long as we’re doing good supply.
Watch the sales of red bull increase…
It seems we’re getting a £2.67ph uplift in the weekday night rate, come April - so I ain’t got no complaints!! 
I’m tempted to put in more than my usual 2 midweek shifts per week… Let’s see how I feel come April…
markqpr:
In response to requests from Industry, the Department for Transport has, pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, agreed to a temporary and limited urgent relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales for the drivers of vehicles involved in the delivery of food, non-food (personal care and household paper and cleaning) and over the counter pharmaceuticals when undertaking the following journeys:
Distribution centre to stores (or fulfilment centre)
From manufacturer or supplier to distribution centre (including backhaul collections)
From manufacturer or supplier to store (or fulfilment centre)
Between distribution centres and transport hub trunking
Transport hub deliveries to stores
This exemption does not apply to drivers undertaking deliveries directly to consumers.
This temporary relaxation applies from 00:01 on Wednesday 18 March 2020 and will run until 23:59 on Thursday 16 April 2020 and will apply only to the drivers specified in this notice. The Department reserves the right to withdraw the relaxation earlier or extend the relaxation if circumstances change.
The department wishes to make clear that driver safety must not be compromised. Drivers should not be expected to drive whilst tired - employers remain responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users.
For the drivers and work in question, the EU drivers’ hours rules can be temporarily relaxed as follows:
a) Replacement of the EU daily driving limit of 9 hours with one of 11 hours;
b) Reduction of the daily rest requirements from 11 to 9 hours;
c) Lifting the weekly (56 hours) and fortnightly driving limits (90 hours) to 60 and 96 hours respectively;
d) Postponement of the requirement to start a weekly rest period after six-24 hours periods, for after seven 24 hours period; although two regular weekly rest periods or a regular and a reduced weekly rest period will still be required within a fortnight;
e) The requirements for daily breaks of 45 minutes after 4.5 hours driving replaced with replaced with a break of 45 minutes after 5.5 hours of driving.
Drivers’ must not use relaxation ‘a’ and ‘d’ at the same time. This is to ensure drivers are able to get adequate rest.
The practical implementation of the temporary relaxation should be through agreement between employers and employees and/or driver representatives.
The drivers in question must note on the back of their tachograph charts or printouts the reasons why they are exceeding the normally permitted limits. This is usual practice in emergencies and is, of course, essential for enforcement purposes.
The temporary relaxation of the rules described above reflects the exceptional circumstances stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak. The department wishes to emphasise that, as a general rule, we expect business to plan for and manage the risks of disruption to supply chains.
All enquiries regarding interpretation of these temporary arrangements should, in the first instance, be made to the Freight Operator Licensing & Roadworthiness Division at the Department for Transport via the switchboard on 0207 944 3000 (during office hours) or to the DfT Duty Office on 0207 944 5999 (out of office hours).
We will keep these temporary arrangements under review.
17 March 2020, Department for Transport
■■■■ that this is the 21st century not Victorian times [emoji2959][emoji2959][emoji2959]
Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk
biggriffin:
So any infringements, during this period will be ignored, so long as we’re doing good supply.Watch the sales of red bull increase…
Don’t say that or people will be stockpiling red bull now just in case
Well I work for a supermarket and I won’t be doing 7 days on the trot or doing 5.5 hrs before my 45 minute break, but I am doing an extra shift next Wednesday for them so I’m doing my bit .
bald bloke:
Well I work for a supermarket and I won’t be doing 7 days on the trot or doing 5.5 hrs before my 45 minute break, but I am doing an extra shift next Wednesday for them so I’m doing my bit .
Ditto. The only thing that is surprising though - is the “office politics” bit that seems to be going with it, in my case…
I’m in later today for an extra shift, but they’ve been a bit late in giving me next week’s work as of yet, so I’m unfortunately sitting by my phone waiting for it to ring…
(Normally I’m lined up with next week’s work by Friday teatime…)
I’ll be taking great care to meticulously stick to the rules we’ve already got, in any case. 
Updated today,
The relaxed hours now apply to all road haulage operations, not just supermarket work
chaversdad:
Updated today,
The relaxed hours now apply to all road haulage operations, not just supermarket work
Coronavirus or not, 9 hr daily rests between shifts throughout a working week of 15 hrs shifts should not be legal for drivers that commute. It’s barmy.
It probably wouldn’t get abused by the supermarket outfits, but you can be ■■■■ sure it will by the hire & reward mob.
chaversdad:
Updated today,
The relaxed hours now apply to all road haulage operations, not just supermarket work
Do you have a link to this, I can’t find anything on the .gov website about it applying to all HGV drivers.
bald bloke:
Well I work for a supermarket and I won’t be doing 7 days on the trot or doing 5.5 hrs before my 45 minute break, but I am doing an extra shift next Wednesday for them so I’m doing my bit .
I was told the other day that company policy was to stick to the normal rules as it will be a pita to work through on the FTA audits and too much paperwork to keep track of all the printouts
tachograph:
chaversdad:
Updated today,
The relaxed hours now apply to all road haulage operations, not just supermarket workDo you have a link to this, I can’t find anything on the .gov website about it applying to all HGV drivers.
pig pen:
tachograph:
chaversdad:
Updated today,
The relaxed hours now apply to all road haulage operations, not just supermarket workDo you have a link to this, I can’t find anything on the .gov website about it applying to all HGV drivers.
Thanks 
Sent from my mobile.
tachograph:
chaversdad:
Updated today,
The relaxed hours now apply to all road haulage operations, not just supermarket workDo you have a link to this, I can’t find anything on the .gov website about it applying to all HGV drivers.
Well i won’t be doing more hours, only if traffic delays cause me too.
And i don’t think my employer will want us too
My standard reply to the offices question ‘can you make this’ is “maybe”…
I have this collection for a 7 o’clock delivery… “7 oclockish…”
You have to be there for 06.00… “I’ll do my best”…
You are allowed to work longer than usual because… “■■■■ off”
the nodding donkey:
My standard reply to the offices question ‘can you make this’ is “maybe”…I have this collection for a 7 o’clock delivery… “7 oclockish…”
You have to be there for 06.00… “I’ll do my best”…
You are allowed to work longer than usual because… “[zb] off”
About right.
Say youll try, but cant guarantee it, everything is fine.
Say youll do it and arrive 5 minutes late? Whoa! . An office worker (ex-driver, he should have known better) was talking about one of the drivers. "He always seems to get there just in time, really a hard worker." Driver said, "Yeah, get tipped, have coffee, wait until factory shuts, then phone and tell em, its just come off".
.
Ahh, memories of when only 007 had futuristic tracking devices!
I’d at least ask for in writing that I’ll never ever be issued with a WTD tacho infringement ever again.
Not forthcoming?
“I’ll stick to the official rules thanks. They’ve not been superceded in writing, and perhaps never will be.”