Court Considers Hours Plan
Page 60
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rthl Tuesday, the Industrial Court ‘.../heard applications by the Omnibus Owners Association, Commercial Motor Users Association, Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Municipal Tramways and Transport Association, Tramways, Light Railways and Transport Association, Transport and General Workers Union, and National Union of Railwaymen, for the amendment of the Variation Order under Section 10 of ths Read Traffic Act, 3920.
The Associations recommended that whece, in any period of 24 hours, only one period of duty rot exceeding nine hours is worked, the limit of nine hours' continuous driving should be substituted tor 51 hours, if the driver be allowed intervals for signing on and off, etc., amounting in the aggregate to not less than 50 minutes. Where the continuous period of duty does not exceed Sr hours, the intervals need not exceed 45 minutes, and, in the case of duty not exceeding 8 hours, 40 minutes.
Further, it was proposed that where, in any period of 24 hours, not more than two periods of duty are worked, not exceeding 10 hours in all, the limit of 6 hours' continuous driving shall he substituted for 51 hours, provided that the driver, has intervals totalling not less than 45 minutes and that he has at least 12 consecutive hours for rest in the period of 24 hours. Where, however, the two periods do not exceed 81 hours, the intervals need not, it was urged, exceed 00 minutes.
If, between any two periods of driving an express or contract carriage, there be an interval of not less than 4 consecutive hours at a destination, during which the driver may obtain rest and refreshment, the period of 8 consecutive hours should, the Associations recommended, be substituted for '10 consecutive hours for rest on n42 one day in any period of 7 consecutive days, or on 2 days in any period of 7 consecutive days, if the latter includes a Bank Holiday: Finally, it was proposed that, in the case of a stage carriage, on one day in any period of 7 consecutive days (or 2 days if the period includes a Bank Holiday), 8 consecutive hours for rest may be substituted for 0 hours, if the driver has at least 12 consecutive hours for rest next day.
The Court will, in due course, communicate its decision to the Minister of Transport.