Driver Hire has gained clarification on vital points in the new rules on drivers' hours from the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

The company raised potential dangers of ambiguity in the wording of the legislation, which it feared might jeopardise its aim of establishing clear common rules across all EU member states on driving time, rest and break periods.

Driver Hire chief executive Chris Chidley met with government representatives to seek clear guidance on those issues. "The overriding need is for clearly defined rules, with no woolly words or ambiguities. This is a huge opportunity to give everyone in our industry absolute certainty on compliance and best practice and we're delighted with the response from the DfT and VOSA."

On the key issue of what constitutes "other work", the DfT confirmed that this applied to both employed and self-employed drivers, and would cover any paid activity, including part-time work.

The DfT also clarified the issue of liability with respect to employment businesses, which caused concern because the clients control the drivers' tachographs. Senior policy adviser Andrew Angel said that contracts with customers should include a provision for compliant time schedules. If drivers breached that provision, the employment business would not be liable.