I have searched for hours but cannot find any information on this issue.
When I leave our yard in a morning I have to drive a minimum of 20 mins with a maximum of 50 mins
to collect my first load.
When I arrive at my first collection point I am sometimes faced with a wait of up to 30 mins.
Can I legally use 15 mins of this time for my first 15 min break after driving for only 20 mins?
shortfatbaldbloke:
I have searched for hours but cannot find any information on this issue.When I leave our yard in a morning I have to drive a minimum of 20 mins with a maximum of 50 mins
to collect my first load.When I arrive at my first collection point I am sometimes faced with a wait of up to 30 mins.
Can I legally use 15 mins of this time for my first 15 min break after driving for only 20 mins?
you can take a brake after 1 min of driving if you so wish. yes it’s legal if your not working and can dispose of your time freely if you wanted i think. I’m half expecting Coffeeholic though to correct me on something as i’m just a average joe and dont know the in’s and out’s of the WTD and tacho laws 
If you’re intending splitting your break into a 15minute and half hour you can have the 15 at any point within the first four and a half. If I’m splitting I’ve had the 15 minute before I’ve done an hour and half usually,
With the older rules ive done 30mins after about 2mins driving, then drove for 4hrs 28mins and taken 15mins nothing was said so would assume its the same.
Used to start my shift pick up a trailer off the boat, somtimes if its running late, would rather drive round the docks a few minutes then take my break so don’t loose as much time getting down the road.
shortfatbaldbloke:
When I arrive at my first collection point I am sometimes faced with a wait of up to 30 mins.Can I legally use 15 mins of this time for my first 15 min break after driving for only 20 mins?
Yes.
Kenny1975:
With the older rules ive done 30mins after about 2mins driving, then drove for 4hrs 28mins and taken 15mins nothing was said so would assume its the same.Used to start my shift pick up a trailer off the boat, somtimes if its running late, would rather drive round the docks a few minutes then take my break so don’t loose as much time getting down the road.
Thats ok as long as you dont do more than 2 mins of driving after Kenny then you fall fowel off only having a 2nd break of only 15 min and not the required 30 min
The new rules are 15 then 30
not 30 then 15
Yeah i don’t do it now anyways, job i had ages ago and was saleried and just wanted down the road and back, so when the boat was late rather get my break in really early.
I used to do the same as Kenny1975, but they got wise to it. As far as I know you can take a 15 after 1 minute driving.
Think we all did it at some point then they cottoned on that we were doing a lot of driving with just a 15 min break was a goodun though while it lasted in them days. got stopped in a check up on the M6 one day and the copper thought he had me banged to rights till the ministry man told him there was nothing wrong with it.
I would pick up the truck pop home for a spot of breakie and be off up the road 
Use the law to your advantage then eh 
Always remember though not to take your half hour break too early, because you can only drive 4½ after that. So if you get held up you may have to take another full 45 minutes before you can carry on.
While we’re on the subject, can i split my second break if i know i’m going to need to drive for 10hrs?
timmo:
While we’re on the subject, can i split my second break if i know i’m going to need to drive for 10hrs?
Assuming you have had 45 minutes break in total ( 15 + 30 ) yes you can split the next break into 15 + 30 as well.
Under the Working Time Directive, providing you haven’t approached 4.5 hours driving your first 15 minute break must be taken before six hours duty has elapsed.
Taking this a step further; whilst I am aware that the first 45 minutes accumulated break must be split 15 then 30, does this also apply to later breaks as well if needed?
gnasty gnome:
Taking this a step further; whilst I am aware that the first 45 minutes accumulated break must be split 15 then 30, does this also apply to later breaks as well if needed?
Yes
pecjam23:
you can take a brake after 1 min of driving if you so wish. yes it’s legal if your not working and can dispose of your time freely if you wanted i think. I’m half expecting Coffeeholic though to correct me on something as i’m just a average joe and dont know the in’s and out’s of the WTD and tacho laws
Well, seeing as you asked nicely I will correct you. 
Being able to dispose of your time freely is not a requirement for a break, only for daily and weekly rest. A break is simply time when you are not driving or doing other work and is used exclusively for recuperation. That is why you can take a break in a moving vehicle when double manned, you aren’t exactly free to dispose of your time sitting in the co-pilots chair.
Coffeeholic:
[quote="pecjam23"you can take a brake after 1 min of driving if you so wish. yes it’s legal if your not working and can dispose of your time freely if you wanted i think. I’m half expecting
Coffeeholic though to correct me on something as i’m just a average joe and dont know the in’s and out’s of the WTD and tacho laws
Well, seeing as you asked nicely I will correct you. Being able to dispose of your time freely is not a requirement for a break, only for daily and weekly rest. A break is simply time when you are not driving or doing other work and is used exclusively for recuperation. That is why you can take a break in a moving vehicle when double manned, you aren’t exactly free to dispose of your time sitting in the co-pilots chair.
[/quote]
SO THERE
Thanks to everyone who answered my question.
I’m glad thats the case ,
you have been a great help, Karl