Legal Test Case Clarifies Ferry Rest Periods

[m4rky]

Taken from the RHA

"For international drivers travelling to and from the continent by ferry or train, the legislation regarding ‘ferry rest period’ has never been clear, writes Tachodisc MD Karen Crispe. The question has always been ‘should the interruptions to a daily rest period of driving on and off a ferry or train be added to the daily driving time or to the weekly driving time?’

We can now shed light on this and confirm that a new legal test case has served to clarify what was seen as a loop-hole in the legislation text.

The EU Commission has confirmed that a driver travelling on and off a ferry or train is allowed to interrupt a regular daily rest twice for up to 60 minutes total. This time should be added to the weekly driving limit but not to the daily driving limit."

So there you are - It would seem that we can drive for 9 - 10hrs - End our daily shift and then drive onto and off of the ferry and just add the time to our weekly driving limit. Great! - As if we don’t do enough hours as it is!

Source:
http://www.tachodisc.co.uk/ask/in-the-news/rt-compliance-newsletter-july-2012/

[trubster]

Just to clarify. Does this mean you can do 10 hours drive, select ferry mode and drive up to an hour over the water?

[wildfire]

A regular daily rest period may be interrupted no more than twice, but the total interruption must not exceed 1 hour in total. This allows for a vehicle to be driven on to a ferry and off again at the end of the crossing. Where the rest period is interrupted in this way, the total accumulated rest period must still be 11 hours. A bunk or couchette must be available during the rest period.

I was always under the understanding that you couldn’t use a ferry movement rule on the dover, Calais crossings as there is NO bunks available on these ferries. Am I correct of wrong? someone in the know give me the answer

[m4rky]

Blimey that post is 2 years old LOL - I guess the forums playing up!

[lexxaus]

its interesting