Get off the bus – Get on the bus
We have been told time and again that all the horror stories about the EU were nonsense made up by Eurosceptics; straight bananas etc.
Well, this story has appeared today which is just unbelievable.
Bus passengers who travel along a route of more than 30 miles must get off the vehicle midway through their journey to comply with new EU laws. The law has been described as a "farce".
The Brussels ruling dictates that drivers must pull over and let everyone off their bus after 30 miles, to ensure they do not spend too long behind the wheel.
Western Greyhound, a bus company operating in rural Devon and Cornwall, is among those affected. Its Newquay to Plymouth route has been split in three, even though a single driver is used for the entire distance. The driver is obliged to pull over and ask everyone to get off before the route number on the front of the vehicle is changed, and all the passengers are invited back on board. Passengers have been told they must buy three tickets to complete the route, and they must also break their journey twice.
EU forces passengers on and off the buses - Telegraph
2 Responses »
Leave a Response
Entries(RSS)
I emailed Giles Chichester MEP for the South West & he has very kindly taken time to investigate. Here is his response verbatim:
“Further to your email letter of the 29th March with regard to the EU Drivers Hours Regulation, I undertook to contact my colleague Timothy Kirkhope MEP, the Conservative Transport Spokesman.
“He is in full agreement with you on the effects of this regulation on business and can recall that when the Commission proposal came before the European Parliament's Transport Committee our Conservative colleague Mr Philip Bradbourn MEP, Transport Spokesman at the time, submitted numerous amendments to lift the burden of these regulations from bus and coach companies. Indeed at the full session of Parliament, Mr Bradbourn again attempted to have the whole legislation rejected, but was unsuccessful. Unfortunately the UK government did not see fit to object the legislation when it came before the Council of Transport Ministers who are co-legislators in such matters. The result of all this meant that the text could not be amended during its transposition into UK law, and what we have now is confusing and unsound.
“There have been some recent developments. We have always felt that a review of the Drivers' Hours Regulation would be beneficial, especially when analysing the impact on these small businesses, and Conservative calls for this to happen have borne fruit. Mr Kirkhope is working within the Committee to put across the concerns of the UK industry, and moves are now being made to force through a review on the back of a mass of evidence that he has compiled. In April there was a report to harmonise the EU Road Haulage sector which contained n Amendment that aims to revise the Drivers’ Hours roles. Mr Kirkhope is
working closely with the CPT and the FTA to formulate an acceptable text.
“I understand you frustrations concerning this legislation as it does seem to put an undue strain on businesses such as your own. To this end, the Transport Commissioner, Jacques Barrot, has been made aware of the issue.
“I would also suggest that you write to the Secretary of State for Transport in similar terms, since it was their office that was responsible for eventually agreeing to adopt this legislation.
“Thank you for raising this with me, I hope the information provided will be of use.”
This is fascinating although it is truly a shambles. Before we know where we are they will be trying to enforce this with private motorists who carry passengers in their cars!!