The Department for Transport (DfT) has gained the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport to temporarily relax the enforcement of the EU Drivers’ Hours Regulation in England, Scotland, and Wales, from 12 January until 10 February 2022.
The temporary relaxation of the rules reflects the urgent situation arising from the impacts of Covid-19, including the recent highly infectious Omicron variant. This is resulting in increased absence rates and outbreaks in specific workforces including in respect of the carriage of goods by road and the supply chains of which they are a part. It is not related to the previous temporary relaxations that lapsed on 9 January 2022, which were put in place to address the cumulative impacts of Covid-19 coupled with an acute shortage of HGV drivers.
DfT emphasises that as the drivers’ hours rules are an important road safety measure, the temporary relaxation to the rules must only be used where necessary.
