Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) mental and (b) physical health impact on HGV drivers whose working hours have been extended.
The design of the temporary drivers’ hours extensions guard against mental and physical health effects. Drivers’ hours rules have been amended temporarily in two respects. Firstly, compensatory rest must be taken when weekly rest patterns are changed. Secondly, and alternatively, limited additional driving is permitted two days a week, but total permitted hours for the whole week and fortnight remain the same.
Drivers continue to be bound by the sector specific working time rules, which ensure that drivers are not working continually long hours, even when operating under a relaxation to the drivers’ hours rules. The Department’s published guidance states that the practical implementation of the temporary relaxation should be through agreement between employers, employees, and driver representatives.