The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has welcomed proposals published by the European Commission (EC) to reform EU hours rules for drivers engaged in coach tourism work, but it has called upon the Commission to do more “to further improve safety, the quality of coach drivers’ jobs, and services to customers.”
In revealing its proposed amendments in May, the EC looked at breaks from driving and daily and weekly rest periods. They include extension to occasional passenger transport services that take place within one country of the 12-day rule governing postponement of a weekly rest period.
IRU says that the proposals put forward already acknowledge the nature of coach tourism as a business built around people. It adds that the EU rules as they stand presently “are not suited for group tourism by coach,” adding that they are “unfit.”
The representative body has thus put forward various other amendments as part of its position on the proposed changes. Those were hinted at in March and have now been published in full alongside an analysis of their benefits. Director EU Advocacy Raluca Marian says that the current position “simply makes no sense.”
Scope for coach tourism drivers’ hours change must be leveraged
Ms Marian had invited legislators “to capitalise on this ground-breaking proposal by the EC to align the schedule of coach tourism drivers with passengers’ expectations.”
IRU says it will continue to work with its members and European authorities to shape the rules in the interests of citizens, communities, businesses and the economy.
In addition, or as a change, to proposed amendments already put forward by the EC, IRU’s position calls for the following for coach tourism drivers:
- Those utilising the 12-day rule should be able to compensate for the missed weekly rest before the end of the third week following use of that derogation. That will take account of the seasonal nature of coach tourism and align the provision with what IRU says is “the general rule”
- The ability to postpone the start of a daily rest period by one hour on one occasion between two weekly rest periods if their daily driving time does not exceed seven hours. This differs to the EC proposal on postponing the start of a daily rest period, which offers two possibilities that could be used on one occasion during a trip of eight days or more. IRU says that its approach better suits shorter-duration tours
- Permission to take two consecutive reduced weekly rests within any four consecutive weeks. This would be appropriate to demand spikes and seasonality of work, and apply equally to national and international journeys, IRU has outlined
- Scope to drive beyond the maximum allowed time to enable passengers to reach their destination under exceptional circumstances, and in an associated step, postpone the start of breaks or rest periods. While acknowledging that such an exceedance is already permitted in order to ensure the safety of people or the vehicle, IRU wants it to also consider passengers’ wellbeing.
Should any changes – whether proposed by the EC or IRU – be adopted, they will lead to a revision of Regulation 561/2006.
As already noted, there is no guarantee that amendments would be adopted in the UK, although the Department for Transport had agreed to enact certain parts of the earlier Mobility Package, the overriding mechanism under which any such coach tourism drivers’ hours change would fall.
Trade bodies support plans for change to hours regulations
RHA has supported the EC proposals. Operations Manager – Coach Sector Andy Warrender says that if introduced, they would assist driver shortages and make the industry more attractive to newcomers.
However, he notes that change to the 12-day rule “would benefit a comparatively small number of UK operators directly.”
RHA believes that if the proposals are introduced in the EU, they will apply to UK drivers on international journeys “and may have an influence on future proposals domestically.”
In separate work, the Confederation of Passenger Transport has established a working group to explore potential revision of EU drivers’ hours. That is not exclusive to coach tourism and includes scheduled coaching and bus services within its remit.
Various recommendations have been made by the working group, one of which is expansion of the 12-day rule to include the driver’s home nation.
It also wants changes to record keeping when no in-scope work is undertaken for over six days; the movement of all routes that qualify as local services from end to end to fall under UK hours rules; and an alteration to how the Working Time Directive can be opted out of. The working group also supports growing calls for a removal of distance and work type limitations on the youngest PCV drivers.
