Recruiters have been warned of the huge impact of new working time legislation for drivers, which has already been estimated at £1bn by the government.

The Road Transport Working Time Regulations, which were expected to be announced as Recruiter went to press, are due to come into force in March 2005 and will have enormous consequences for the industry.

It is believed that under the new laws the maximum amount a driver could work would be 48 hours a week over a 17-week period, on average. In certain cases, this period could be extended to 26 weeks.

Drivers currently work an average maximum of 55 hours a week, but with an estimated shortage of 50,000 drivers in the industry already, recruiters are now fearing the worst.

Emma Guyton, managing director of ADR Resources, which recruits drivers for the transport and logistics industry, said: “Any restriction would have a massive impact. As an agency, all we’ll be able to do is measure the number of hours drivers do with us.

“But the trouble is that most drivers are registered with more than one agency, so it will be up to them to monitor their own hours.”

Joan Williams, policy manager for the Freight Transport Association, said: “This will exacerbate the driver shortage. The Department of Transport estimates the cost of this at £1bn. This would make it the biggest price tag attached to any transport legislation.”