Fire Services: Working Hours
Transport
Written answers and statements, 29 October 2009
Robert Goodwill (Shadow Minister, Transport; Scarborough & Whitby, Conservative)
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent guidance his Department has issued to fire and rescue services on the application of European Road Transport Working Time Regulation (EC) 561/2006 in respect of retained firefighters who drive vehicles and who also (a) work as commercial drivers and (b) work in other occupations.
Paul Clark (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Gillingham, Labour)
The EU Regulation on drivers' hours (Regulation (EC) 561/2006) prescribes maximum limits on driving time and minimum requirements for breaks and rest periods.
The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport met with the Retained Firefighters Union in November 2008 and explained that time spent on duty as a retained firefighter outside a driver's regular employment counts as other work rather than rest. As a result, the driver is required, in common with other drivers who have a second job, to declare it as a period of other work and ensure that the required daily and weekly rest periods are taken.