GOODS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES (DRIVERS' HOURS)

HC Deb 07 June 1967 vol 747 cc1064-5

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

87. Mr. MOLLOY

TO ask the Minister of Transport whether she has now completed her review of the law governing drivers' hours; and if she will make a statement.

The Minister of Transport (Mrs. Barbara Castle)

With permission, I will now answer Question No. 87.

Yes, Sir. I have considered the views of all the interested organisations and I have reached the conclusion that we need substantial improvements in the present rules governing the working hours of drivers of goods and passenger vehicles which have been in force since the Road Traffic Act of 1930.

I am today publishing proposals for such improvements and copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The main features of my proposals are a daily limit of nine hours on actual driving, limits on the working day and working week for these drivers, and the introduction of a weekly rest day.

After consideration of comments from all interested organisations on these proposals, I propose to introduce legislation to amend the present provisions.

The improvements proposed in the position on drivers' hours form part of our whole policy for improving the safety, efficiency and organisation of the road transport industries.

Mr. Molloy

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the reaction of men who work in this industry and the public generally will be "And about time too"? Is she further aware that this move to rationalise the industry and to bring some sanity into it will not only make it a better industry for the men to work in, but will make a massive contribution to road safety?

Mrs. Castle

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that, quite clearly, hours of work and hours of driving which were appropriate in 1930 can no longer be appropriate in the changed traffic conditions of today. I think that what I propose will make a useful contribution to road safety, not least by improving the working conditions of lorry drivers.

Mr. Peter Walker

Is the Minister aware that we welcome any proposals which look after drivers' safety? In her statement she refers to nine hours' driving. Does she mean nine hours' actual driving at the wheel, or does it include loading and unloading periods? Has the right hon. Lady considered the possibility of dispensing with the need to keep drivers' records in respect of, for example, bakers' and milk delivery vans, where there tends to be a good deal of unnecessary bureaucracy?

Mrs. Castle

The number of hours at the wheel will be reduced from a maximum of 11 to a maximum of nine. Where any special interests are concerned, we are now going into detailed consultation on the basis of these proposals, and we shall be glad to examine any particular point.

Mr. Bessell

Does the right hon. Lady agree that it will be difficult to enforce these new regulations, welcome as they may be? What proposals does she have for enforcement and, if necessary, for increasing the size of any particular force which could be used to enable her to do this?

Mrs. Castle

I have very far-reaching proposals to make on enforcement. I agree with the hon. Gentleman that one of the difficulties under the present law is that the existing hours, excessive as they are, are not properly enforced. If the hours are to be reduced, we must have adequate enforcement. I therefore propose to make the introduction of tacheo-graphs in lorries and coaches compulsory, to simplify and improve drivers' own personal hours records over a week and not just a day, and, finally, to improve the powers of my own enforcement officers.