Department for Transport's review of the UK's implementation of the European Road Transport Working Time Directive. The review was announced in November 2006 to meet a commitment made by Ministers at the time the Directive was implemented to keep the Regulations and the associated formal guidance under review to ensure they remained practical, flexible, clear and equitable in the light of practical experience. A small number of key issues were focused on: the use and interpretation of periods of availability (basically waiting time known about in advance); the exemption for mobile workers who only âoccasionalâ work in-scope of the Regulations; the treatment of annual leave; compliance with, and enforcement of, the Regulations; and the administrative burdens placed on business by the Regulations. The evidence base was developed through a fully consultative process. A Data Validation Working Group was set up bringing together trade associations, trade unions, devolved administrations and enforcement authorities. Over a period of 12 months the Working Group agreed the evidence required and the ways to obtain this. The review document discusses in detail the various stakeholder views on a number of key issues, and seeks to balance those views when making recommendations based on the evidence gathered. In summary, the evidence has not identified any fundamental problems with the Regulations themselves or any major problems with the associated guidance. Three key actions are being taken forward: areas of the associated guidance will be improved to provide further clarification; additional ways to disseminate the associated guidance will be identified to raise awareness and understanding of the working time rules; VOSA will implement a revised working time enforcement strategy. (Author/publisher)
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