The FTA has persuaded the government to change its interpretation of the latest EU drivers' hours regs, giving greater protection to operators whose drivers commit hours offences.
The regs, which come into force on 11 April, give member states the right to hold operators absolutely liable for driver offences. The Department for Transport had opted to give operators a chance to defend
themselves by demonstrating good practice, rather than for the enforcement agencies to have to prove poor practice. The FTA has effectively won a reversal of this position.
In a letter to the FTA Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman agreed that enforcement officials must properly assess individual cases and be assured there is a case to answer before pressing charges or issuing fines.
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