Changes in driving laws introduced to reduce impact of striking drivers

The Ministry of Transport has approved a resolution to relax rules surrounding rest times and driving hours in light of the ongoing wildcat strikes by lorry drivers.

The rules will be relaxed for at least a week, and will allow an additional two hours driving time, whilst a reduction of mandatory rest periods from 11 hours to nine.

Limits on weekly driving hours will also be extended.

The temporary change in the rules comes as truckers strike over the cost of fuel, which has significantly risen since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On Monday the Government announced a half a billion euro support package, however strikes are continuing after three drivers unions joined the industral action – dismissing the Governments offer.

Food producer Danone has warned of disruption to supplies in Spain due to the ongoing truckers strike.

In a statement issued yesterday, the producer warned that it would “have to take drastic action” at it’s four dairy and three mineral water plants across the country.

It said that the disruption means they cannot collect milk from farms, which would cause issues in their production lines.