The current limits on drivers’ hours as specified by the EU rules are summarised below.
Breaks from driving
A break of no less than 45 minutes must be taken after no more than 4.5 drivers hours.
The break can be divided into 2 periods – the rest at least 15 minutes long and the second at least 30 minutes – taken over the 4.5 drivers hours.
Daily driving
Maximum of 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours no more than twice a week.
Weekly driving
Maximum of 56 hours.
Two-weekly driving
Maximum of 90 hours in any two-week period.
Daily rest
Minimum of 11 hours, which can be reduced to a minimum of 9 hours no more than 3 times between weekly rests. May be taken in 2 periods, the first at least 3 hours long and the second at least 9 hours long. The rest must be completed within 24 hours of the end of the last daily or weekly rest period
Multi-manning daily rest
A daily rest of at least 9 hours duration must be taken within a period of 30 hours that starts from the end of the last daily or weekly rest period. A 9-hour daily rest is however a reduced daily rest period and subject to the limit of 3 times between weekly rest periods. For the first hour of multi-manning, the presence of another driver is optional, but for the remaining time is compulsory.
Ferry/train daily rest
A regular daily rest period (of at least 11 hours), or weekly rest periods, may be interrupted no more than twice by other activities of not more than 1 hour’s duration in total, provided that the driver is accompanying a vehicle that is travelling by ferry or train and has access to a sleeper cabin, bunk or couchette.
Interrupting a regular weekly rest in this way is only permitted where the ferry or train leg of the journey is scheduled for 8 hours or more and the driver has access to a sleeper cabin.
Weekly rest
A regular weekly rest of at least 45 hours, or reduced weekly rest of at least 24 hours, must be started no later than the end of a 6 consecutive 24-hour period from the end of the last weekly rest. In any 2 consecutive weeks a driver must have at least 2 weekly rests – one of which must be at least 45 hours long. A weekly rest that falls across 2 weeks may be counted in either week but not both. Any reductions must be compensated in one block by an equivalent rest added to another rest period of at least 9 hours before the end of the third week following the week in question.
AETR Rules
Journeys to or through the countries that are signatories to the AETR Agreement (see list EU,AETR and EEA countries) are subject to AETR rules. AETR rules apply to the whole journey, including any EU countries passed through.
The AETR rules are in most respects the same as the EU rules however where there is divergence, this has been detailed in the relevant section.
The same exemptions that apply to EU journeys, detailed in Section 1.1, also apply to AETR journeys (see Exemptions within the pages Exemptions & National Derogations for further details). The national derogations detailed do not apply to AETR journeys as they only apply on UK territory.
Source – DVSA
