Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2004
144 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the driving regulations for heavy goods vehicles (details supplied); the fines attached to such regulations; the date on which such regulations were implemented; the EU regulations on this issue; if Ireland complies with the EU regulations; if not, when it will; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33947/04]
View answerMy Department is responsible for enforcement of European Union rules governing drivers' hours and the use of tachograph recording equipment in heavy goods vehicles.
These rules came into force on 29 September 1986 and are set out in Council Regulations Nos. 3820/85/EEC and 3821/85/EEC. S.I. Nos. 392 and 393 of 1986 were introduced in order to comply fully with these EU regulations. The rules apply to vehicles used for the carriage of goods where the maximum permissible weight of the vehicle, including any trailer or semi-trailer, exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €1,269 or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both fine and imprisonment.
A summary of the rules governing drivers of heavy goods vehicles is set out in the following appendix. The rules do not differentiate between normal working hours and overtime working.
|
Daily Driving Period |
9 Hours. May be extended to 10 hours twice a week. |
|
Total Driving Time without a Break |
4 Hours 30 Minutes |
|
Breaks from Driving |
45 Minutes (May be broken into breaks of at least 15 minutes each distributed over the driving period or immediately after it). |
|
Weekly Driving (Maximum) |
56 Hours (six daily driving periods) |
|
Fortnightly Driving (Maximum) |
90 Hours |
|
Daily Rest (24 hour Period) 1 Driver |
11 Hours (a) may be reduced to 9 hours three times a week provided compensation of an equivalent period of rest is taken before the end of the following week or (b) on days when rest is not reduced the daily rest period may be taken in two or three separate periods provided one is of at least 8 consecutive hours. In such cases the daily rest requirement is increased to 12 hours. |
|
2 Drivers |
8 hours (consecutive) in each 30 hour period. |
|
Weekly Rest |
45 Hours (a) may be reduced to 36 hours if taken at base or (b) 24 hours if taken elsewhere provided compensation of an equivalent rest is taken en bloc before the end of the third week following the week in question. |
