EU Drivers hours laws have been temporarily relaxed for drivers heading to Eurotunnel or Dover for a crossing to Calais. For the full release please click HERE. Please read the following from The Department of Transport;
The industrial action at the Port of Calais and incidents at the Euro Tunnel terminal and Channel Tunnel has caused major disruption to cross-Channel commercial vehicle traffic through the Tunnel and to some ferry routes to and from Kent. This has resulted in Operation Stack being invoked on the M20.
The Department for Transport has, pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, agreed to a temporary and limited, exceptional relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules. The temporary relaxation applies only to drivers whose journeys are delayed due to the industrial action or disruption at Calais and who:
– have used a cross channel ferry or Eurotunnel to reach or leave Kent
– are waiting within Kent for departure to mainland Europe
– are driving a commercial vehicle operated from an operating centre in Kent and whose journey has been disrupted
This relaxation is not available for other commercial vehicle drivers in Kent and is not available for international journeys that do not pass through Kent.
This temporary relaxation applies from 00:01 on Thursday 30 July 2015 and will run for a period of 30 days at the times when Operation Stack is in place. Up to date information on the status of Operation Stack is available from Kent Police and Highways England.
The department reserves the right to withdraw or suspend the relaxation earlier if circumstances change. This relaxation is under constant review and may be withdrawn or suspended with less than 24 hours’ notice
Try explaining that to the Italians or the Spanish they would still fine you no doubt
Bach home:
…– are driving a commercial vehicle operated from an operating centre in Kent…
So given the hundreds and hundreds of vehicles stuck in Op Stack, its this little clause that will render the relaxation of rules virtually useless! 
Because according to the conditions of the relaxation of hours that you posted, one of the qualifying factors is that the driver/s…“…are driving a commercial vehicle operated from an operating centre in Kent”. That statement will disqualify, from the relaxation of rules, anyone NOT driving a vehicle “operated from an operating centre in Kent”.
That’s every British non Kent operating centre based vehicle and every European non Kent operating centre based vehicle stuck in Op Stack. Which is virtually the whole queue! Or have I read that wrong?? 
Yes you’ve read it wrong lol
That is a list of those who the exemption applies to, not a set of conditions.
Put another way, you mean it is “OR” not “AND” between each one?
th2013:
Put another way, you mean it is “OR” not “AND” between each one?
Yeah but it’s obvious it means that.
Why on earth would anyone bother to just exempt Kent hauliers caught in stack? lol
Bach home:
th2013:
Put another way, you mean it is “OR” not “AND” between each one?
Yeah but it’s obvious it means that.
Why on earth would anyone bother to just exempt Kent hauliers caught in stack? lol
…and we`re British As has already been stated, try explaining all that to the Spanish, Italian and other Euro plods then! 
bullitt:
Bach home:
th2013:
Put another way, you mean it is “OR” not “AND” between each one?
Yeah but it’s obvious it means that.
Why on earth would anyone bother to just exempt Kent hauliers caught in stack? lol
[emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38] …and we`re British [emoji38] As has already been stated, try explaining all that to the Spanish, Italian and other Euro plods then!
I agree, this measure is just to try and get trucks out of Kent as soon as they can, you’re right it is a fat lot of use later down the road if stopped and you’re on 10 + hrs drive time!
I do wonder if you where fined in another member state for deviating from the rules, and could prove that you had been in stack, and had proof of the fine payment, if you could then sue the establishment as they have allowed this? because in reality most European plod may not know what Op stack is never mind anything else,
On another note they should give some leeway on a permanent basis for us brits who are incoming from calais to find a safe and secure parking place, in particular if returning after say 6pm as every parking space even truck stops in the kent area is taken, thanks to the number of foreign lorries transiting that area, never mind national deliveries by English operators
Good luck to anyone trying to get retrospective justice from a foreign authority in this kinda hypothetical situation!
Also the exemption is only temporary
Just to put another spin on it. If The Department for Transport has, pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, agreed to a temporary and limited, exceptional relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules, then surely that relaxation can only apply to the UK. The DoT has no jurisdiction outside of the UK mainland, particularly where such an edict would affect drivers operating (eventually) in another / other countries.
So maybe the relaxation of rules would apply to, and help, those stuck on the French side and who need to get to deliveries in the UK but not visa-versa!
I cant see that the DoT can issue a ruling in the UK and it being blindly accepted by our nearest and dearest neighbours without question or debate!
bullitt:
Just to put another spin on it. If The Department for Transport has, pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, agreed to a temporary and limited, exceptional relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules, then surely that relaxation can only apply to the UK. The DoT has no jurisdiction outside of the UK mainland, particularly where such an edict would affect drivers operating (eventually) in another / other countries.
So maybe the relaxation of rules would apply to, and help, those stuck on the French side and who need to get to deliveries in the UK but not visa-versa!
I cant see that the DoT can issue a ruling in the UK and it being blindly accepted by our nearest and dearest neighbours without question or debate!
The exemption is to try and get delayed inbound drivers OUT OF KENT or to give them a lill bit more chance to find parking.
Agreed, but it will still be showing on your tacho as a infringement if you then head back out to the continent anytime in the following 28 days making you liable to hefty fines over there.