Explanatory note

Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 of the European Parliament and Council (“the Community Drivers' Hours Regulation”) provides that Member States may in urgent cases grant temporary exception, for a period not exceeding 30 days, from the application of the provisions of that Regulation to transport operations carried out in exceptional circumstances.

These Regulations provide for the driving of goods vehicles to move pigs, cattle and sheep in connection with meeting or alleviating the effects of the exceptional circumstances arising in consequence of restrictions on the movement of those animals imposed as a result of the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Great Britain.

Until midnight between 4^th and 5^th November 2007, where a driver is engaged wholly or mainly in driving goods vehicles to move such animals to meet those exceptional circumstances, Articles 6(2) and (3) of the Community Drivers' Hours Regulation, which limit the maximum periods of driving in a week and a fortnight, will not apply. In addition, Article 6(1) of that Regulation is modified to increase the daily driving period to 10 hours and Article 8(6) is modified to reduce the minimum weekly rest requirement to 24 consecutive hours.

The Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005 are also modified for drivers of vehicles wholly or mainly engaged in moving pigs, cattle or sheep in connection with meeting the circumstances referred to. The effect of the modifications is to increase the maximum working time in a week, prescribed by regulation 4(1), to 66 hours and to allow up to 6 extra hours to be worked without affecting the average weekly working time.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no significant impact on the costs of the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

A copy of the Community Drivers' Hours Regulation can be obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information.