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Petition to allow workers to drive large horseboxes at weekends


  • Speak up! Write to your local MP

    Download PDF voucher to sign petition

    The British Horse Society, British Equestrian Federation and H&H — on behalf of the entire horse industry — are petitioning for drivers of large horseboxes to be excluded from laws over compulsory and prohibitive rest periods.

    The Vehicle Operator Services Agency’s (VOSA) strict interpretation of a European law has effectively banned anyone with a full-time job from driving their HGV [over 7.5 tonne] lorry at weekends.

    An exception (derogation) to the EC regulation has already been made for the Territorial Army and the horse industry is campaigning for the same. To register your support complete the box below to sign the petition. We need to collect at least 100,000 signatures.

    If you cannot see the petition box on the right hand side of this page, please email carol_phillips@ipcmedia.com for further instructions or download a PDF voucher to sign the petition.

    If you want to help further, click here for a letter template to send to your MP

    Petition details

    We call upon the Government to seek a derogation from the European Commission to the requirement (imposed by Regulation 561/2006) that drivers of horse lorries of greater than 7.5 tonnes gross weight must take prescribed rest periods.

    We do so in the knowledge (i) that empirical evidence does not show drivers of horse lorries to be a source of significant risk; (ii) that the requirement, if enforced, has the potential to cause serious damage to equestrian sport in England and Wales; (iii) that no equestrian organisation was consulted in 2006 when the Regulation was transposed into law in England and Wales; and (iv) that the restriction is internally inconsistent, as a consequence of being based on the irrelevancy of whether or not reward ensues from the work which prohibits the driving.

    Register your support now by completing the form (right). If you cannot see the petition box on the right hand side of this page, either download the petition voucher as a PDF or email carol_phillips@ipcmedia.com for further instructions.

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