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The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has blasted the government's decision not to relax drivers' hours as hauliers attempt to clear the backlog of livestock on Scottish farms following the foot-and-mouth crisis. Phil Flanders, RHA director in Scotland, had lobbied the Department for Transport (DfT) to relax hours and tachograph regulations so firms could deal with the build-up caused by the movement restrictions imposed after the outbreak in Surrey last month.

However, the DfT has decided  "after careful consideration" and "on the basis of the evidence submitted" that a relaxation of the drivers' hours rules is not justified. Flanders says: "As restrictions are relaxed as the foot- and-mouth crisis winds down, one area that continues to cause concern is that there are not enough livestock drivers or vehicles to cope in reducing the backlog in the short term.

"This will mean that many animals due to be moved for slaughter, sale or breeding cannot be moved." Flanders believes the government's stance is worsening an already serious situation. "We are facing a serious animal welfare problem and the long-term economic consequences could be disastrous for all involved," he adds. "We urgently call for the DfT to grant this relaxation for Scotland."

A DfT spokesman adds: "Drivers' hours rules help protect HGV drivers and other road users from the real dangers associated with driver fatigue. "They are a key part of road safety legislation and decisions to relax them  are not taken lightly. "We are keeping the situation under review and have asked the Scottish Executive to demonstrate that there are serious risks to animal welfare to allow us to reassess the situation."