Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP, has welcomed the relaxation in EU driving regulations for heavy duty vehicles but says the response to the extreme weather was ‘too slow’. The Department of Transport announced on Monday January 11th that bulk milk tankers, and those involved in the distribution of road salt, heating oil and animal feed would be subject to an emergency relaxation of EU Driving regulations. The daily driving limit of 9 hours has been extended to 10 and the weekly 56 hour driving limit has been increased to 90 hours. This relaxation of driving regulations is intended to allow the continued functioning of key agriculture and infrastructure in light of the adverse weather conditions. Temporary relaxations will run until Monday 18th January.

Mr Turner said:
“It has taken too long to bring in these measures. The bad weather has been seriously affecting the country for well over a week. While I understand the need to retain a balance between allowing Britain to remain at work and ensuring driver safety, these emergency relaxations are a necessity which will enable us to respond effectively to the conditions facing us. The provision of road salt up and down the country is absolutely essential to ensuring peoples’ safety as they go about their daily business. Measures should have been taken much sooner to ensure its expedient distribution.

Mr Turner added:
“Britain’s low levels of salt reserves are a bad enough indictment of our preparedness for adverse weather conditions – now we find that European rules and regulations are governing the distribution of what salt we do have. I think it is ridiculous that, in responding to Britain’s domestic weather problems, we even have to consider the regulations imposed as a result of our membership of the EU. Britain should re-invoke its opt out of the European Working Time Directive – which was surrendered by this Government – to give us the best chance of quickly and effectively responding to major domestic issues such as bad weather.”

END Contact : Andrew Turner’s office 01983 530808