I`m hoping to start back work in early january. When i came off work in october trying to cross the channel was a nightmare
I was wondering is it still buggered? You could turn up for a train and wait hours and the port was as bad. Have the Tunnel got there act together after the fire yet?
Thanks.
Jon
tunnel open fully on about the 18th of Feb 2009 dover nice and quiet mid afternoon on a sunday 
we havent been on the tunnel since mid October, it is just too unreliable, you come off at 11, nice and quiet, grab a quick coffee, go through the scanner and then sit for 3 to 4 hours.
At least with the ferry you know you will be on a boat within 2 hours if you use both accounts.
Glad you are back though JB
Thanks malc… and malc… 
Ive just spoken to one of my mates who told me the train is running 3 an hour each way at the mo. So you sit for a bit and as long as your on 1 of the 3 you get through, otherwise you have to wait a fair while. Hope ive made sense there
Merry xmas
jon as long as i’ve known you, you’ve never made sense!!
We’ve use the tunnel all the time and the longest I’ve waited for a train under it’s current operating schedule is just over an hour apart from one day when they had a train break down in the tunnel.
The last couple of times for me in the last month have been a nightmare one time arrived at 2200 at arrived Coqqueles at 0330 and the second time arrived at 2000 and off at 0100, and both times had to use the out of scope ferry/train moves rules to the first available parking Boulogne. 
We used Norfolk Line recently but I’d forgotten what a desert Dunkerque is. Last time I used it was when I was weekended there after arriving late on a Friday night with unannounced hazardous on board back in the 70s.
Arrived an hour early and headed to the terminal for a coffee and a shower. They make you use the outside stairs to the public floor in a bitter wind then when you get there everything is shut except for a couple of machines. No time for a shower as the announcer called us to the boat. It left dead on time though so that was something I suppose.
However, on the return journey, just after reading the sign bragging that ‘Dover is the busiest ferry port in Europe’ I discovered that not only was the terminal building shut but that the one and only coffee machine was not working. 
Just as well the coffee/croissants on board weren’t too bad then. 
I am confused over the use of the ferry break mode on the train! Either the train or the ferries have a travel time of between 50 or 90 minutes but as neither is fitted with bunks, and there are no separate cabins. I can’t see this being allowed by the ministry.
Journeys involving ferry or train transport
Where a driver accompanies a vehicle that is being transported by ferry or train, the daily rest
requirements are more flexible.
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 onto a ferry and off at the end of a sea
crossing. Where the rest period is interrupted in this way, the total ■■■■■■■■■ rest period must still
be 11 hours. A bunk or couchette must be available during the rest period.
The problem is that it would only take a 3 minute phone call to check when that vehicle last crossed over and the time.
The Hupac Rolling Landstrasse do have bunks for drivers use.
Wheel Nut:
I am confused over the use of the ferry break mode on the train! Either the train or the ferries have a travel time of between 50 or 90 minutes but as neither is fitted with bunks, and there are no separate cabins. I can’t see this being allowed by the ministry.
You cannot legally use the interrupted daily rest option using the shuttle or on the Dover - Calais route, doesn’t stop many drivers doing that judging by some I talk to and posts on here though.
Coffee i have emailed vosa, and asked vosa when stopped, on the shuttle moves and times taken, and i have had a answer only quoting the limited bits that are written on this, or as one said its one of these grey areas.
The problem i have, is when one of our trucks arrives at the shuttle, they are at the end of there shift, usually started at Glasgow, so thats about 9 hours on the card, but not with a big spreadover, say 11 hrs max duty , so 4 hrs to get accross and run to Boulogne, to fit in to the 9 hrs off in 24 rule.
Also when arriving at the shuttle its very difficult to get a time of crossing until you are at the last control point before joining the lanes and once in the lanes you are stuck till your departure time so if the train delays takes us over the spreadover this is outside our control as we can not get out of the que once joined ,if we knew this time in advance we have the option on the ferrys which we can use, but as i say the shuttle staff are not very helpfull on this.
At the moment with all the firms that are doing the fresh fish runs, and the shuttle delays through the night, it is causing real problems so the sooner the shuttle is back to normal the better.
Sorry to go on a bit but i would like to know this as i am in charge of our drivers hours to keep them right that why i keep asking the questions regarding this, as in our case the numourous ferry and train moves that we and our subbies are doing.
PS coffee it sounds like we are succeeding on the case of the man done big bucks in France a couple of weeks ago.
i cant see a problem with any movement on boat or train as long as you only have 2 movements and take a 11hr rest, read the vosa handbook , it may tell you all the do`s and donts but its as clear as mud.
xxicelandicxx:
i cant see a problem with any movement on boat or train as long as you only have 2 movements and take a 11hr rest, read the vosa handbook , it may tell you all the do`s and donts but its as clear as mud.
That is the problem. it is so clear that it says in no uncertain terms that the driver must have access to a bunk or couchette, or do you mean, if you muddy the water, then that bit can be ignored 
well the handbook is very muddy lol
ive done it quite a few times qued for boat on rest, got on boat on rest got off boat on rest and finished my rest and never had a problem when pulled and i have a bunk in cab but its not my fault i cant get to it.
vosa needs to make it more simple and clear,not so many rules for the same thing.
xxicelandicxx:
well the handbook is very muddy lol
ive done it quite a few times qued for boat on rest, got on boat on rest got off boat on rest and finished my rest and never had a problem when pulledvosa needs to make it more simple and clear,not so many rules for the same thing.
It isnt what we have done or what is a grey area. It is how the EU law is interpreted and until there is a test case in the European Courts. we are not safe from prosecution, either by our own courts or by the countries we are travelling through.
For a little light reading, just look through this 11 page appeal document. OK, it occurred during the period the old rules were in force, which only allowed one ferry movement, but the offences are the same, so is the reasoning as to why it was done.
Opens word doc in new window, just click open
Unforeseen events
Provided that road safety is not jeopardised, and to enable a driver to reach a suitable stopping place, a departure from the EU rules may be permitted to the extent necessary to ensure the safety of persons, the vehicle or its load.
Drivers must note all the reasons for doing so on the back of their
tachograph record sheets (if using an analogue tachograph) or on a printout or temporary sheet (if using a digital tachograph) at the latest on reaching the suitable stopping place (see relevant sections covering manual entries).Repeated and regular occurrences, however, might indicate to enforcement
officers that employers were not in fact scheduling work to enable compliance with the applicable rules.
Apart from the part about scheduling work to enable compliance. This bit says it all.
In other words, planned breaches of the rules are not allowed.