The Department for Transport has agreed to a temporary relaxation of EU drivers’ hours and  working-time rules for drivers involved in the distribution of freight and passenger services whose journeys are delayed or extended due to the closure of the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland. This temporary relaxation applies from 00:01 on Tuesday 8 December 2015 to 23:59 on Wednesday 6 January 2016. It will apply for up to 30 days or until the bridge is re-opened during that period. The European drivers’ hours rules will be temporarily relaxed as follows:

1. Replacement of the EU daily driving limit of 9 hours with one of 11 hours.
2. Replacing the weekly driving limit from 56 hours to 66 hours and the fortnightly driving limit from 90 hours to 110 hours.
3. Replacement of the maximum 60 hour working week with one of 66 hours (this extra time should be recorded, but not counted for the purposes of determining average working time).

The requirement to take a 45 minute break after 4½ hours driving will remain and will be rigorously enforced as will the requirement to take a minimum daily rest of 11 hours (which can be reduced to 9 hours three times a week). This relaxation will apply to goods vehicle drivers who would have used the Forth Road Bridge for the purpose of long distance movements involving journeys through and beyond Fife and the Lothians; and goods vehicle drivers and operators with bases either side of the Forth Road Bridge within the recognised diversion route of the A985, M876, M9 and M90. Passenger service vehicle drivers on services delayed or extended due to the closure of the Forth Road Bridge, or on additional services introduced to provide emergency congestion relief will also apply. Drivers must note on the back of their tachograph charts or printouts the reasons why they are exceeding the normally permitted limits. This is usual practice in emergencies and is essential for enforcement purposes. All enquiries regarding interpretation of these temporary arrangements should be made to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency on 0300 1239000 or via email at enquiries@vosa.gov.uk Source www.gov.uk