I currently work for a courier in Manchester. My manager has stated and shown us in the tacho law manual the driver’s breaks and rest periods. They have shown us that a driver can have a 9 hours rest before the start of the next shift, up to 3 times over a 2 week period.
Who can enforce this rest law. Can my employer force me to only have 9 hours rest between shifts, or is it up to me the driver to say yes I will only have 9 hours rest or am I in my rights to refuse 9 hours rest and opt for 11 hours rest?
It classed as a resonable request and they can an you to have 3 9 hr breaks a weeks if you feel you would be to tired to start your shift afer only 9 hs off then you could refuse but you could end ip getting laid off or be the first to be laid off if things go quiet
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Welcome parminder120 .
parminder120:
They have shown us that a driver can have a 9 hours rest before the start of the next shift, up to 3 times over a 2 week period.
It is 3 times but between weekly rest periods and not 3 times over 2 weeks so that does not bode well for their credibility !!
Who can enforce the 9 or 11 hours rest period
We had a very big discussion on this recently - HERE and the conclusion was that planners CAN legally roster a driver for a reduced daily rest BUT if the driver states that they will not be rested enough in that time then, for road safety, the driver wins.
If the planner/boss then insists otherwise it is recommended that the driver gets that decision in writing including the statement by the driver but the planner/boss wont do that as it puts them in the firing line for a corporate charge if things go awry
SAFETY trumps all other rules and issues.
Forum with some useful stuff and Forum for questions on drivers hours
parminder120:
I currently work for a courier in Manchester. My manager has stated and shown us in the tacho law manual the driver’s breaks and rest periods. They have shown us that a driver can have a 9 hours rest before the start of the next shift, up to 3 times over a 2 week period.
Your manager is a trumpet and shouldn’t hold a management position in road transport.
parminder120:
Who can enforce this rest law.
VOSA
parminder120:
Can my employer force me to only have 9 hours rest between shifts,
No.
parminder120:
or is it up to me the driver to say yes I will only have 9 hours rest
Yes.
parminder120:
or am I in my rights to refuse 9 hours rest and opt for 11 hours rest?
You can.
parminder120:
I currently work for a courier in Manchester. My manager has stated and shown us in the tacho law manual the driver’s breaks and rest periods. They have shown us that a driver can have a 9 hours rest before the start of the next shift, up to 3 times over a 2 week period.
Who can enforce this rest law. Can my employer force me to only have 9 hours rest between shifts, or is it up to me the driver to say yes I will only have 9 hours rest or am I in my rights to refuse 9 hours rest and opt for 11 hours rest?
Can you scan a copy of this new tacho law manual into here for us, or at least find out the title of it, as they say you can learn something new every day 
Today is not my day though 
The company have a right to schedule a reduced daily rest period, so depending on the circumstances if you refuse to have a reduced daily rest period too often the company may have a right to say that you are unfit for the job and start disciplinary procedures leading to your dismissal.
Parminder. I am quite aware of a VOSA guide to the tacho regulation in a PDF form that you mentioned in PM. It is just not the same as the one that you quoted chapter and verse from.
The guide states;
A driver may reduce his daily rest period to no less than 9 continuous hours, but this can be done no more than three times between any two weekly rest periods, and no compensation for the reduction is required. A daily rest that is less than 11 hours but at least 9 hours long is called a reduced daily rest period.
Which appears slightly different to this;
My manager has stated and shown us in the tacho law manual the driver’s breaks and rest periods. They have shown us that a driver can have a 9 hours rest before the start of the next shift, up to 3 times over a 2 week period.
Vuvuzela was already mentioned