Anyone driving in Great Britain (GB) under the retained EU drivers’ hours rules and undertaking carriage of goods by road can use this relaxation where necessary. The relaxation is not limited to specific sectors or journeys. 

Drivers’ hours rules are an important road safety measure and any deviation from the rules must be a last resort when other means of mitigating a situation have failed. Therefore, the temporary relaxation to the drivers’ hours rules must only be used where necessary by drivers and transport operators.

The temporary relaxation to the drivers’ hours rules requires these 3 conditions is to be met.

• Evidence of detriment to the wider community
• Evidence a relaxation will lead to significant situation improvement
• Driver safety must not be compromised

The temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours has been extended until 9 January 2022. If you have made use of the relaxation that ends on 31 October 2021, you must submit a completed a follow-up notification form by 7 November 2021.

The retained EU drivers’ hours rules can be temporarily relaxed as follows.

Either:

• the daily driving limit can be increased from 9 hours to 10 hours up to 4 times in a week (instead of the normal permitted increase to 10 hours twice a week) – all other daily driving limits remain at 9 hours

OR

• replacement of the requirement to take at least 2 weekly rest periods including at least one regular weekly rest period of at least 45 hours in a 2-week period, with an alternative permissible pattern of weekly rest periods as specified below, and an increase to the fortnightly driving limit from 90 hours to 99 hours

further information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-relaxation-of-the-enforcement-of-the-retained-eu-drivers-hours-rules-all-road-haulage-sectors-within-great-britain?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=6e123470-8a89-43b6-9d63-ef81afd11c34&utm_content=daily