What are required government breaks for driving a 7.5tonne multidrop vehicle. Can I go up to six hours then have a 45 min break?

[simbo7]

[Buenchico]

The maximum driving time, before a 45 minute break, is 4½ hours:
http://tinyurl.com/ye978vq

Chris

[sddsddean]

You are confusing 2 sets of regulations. The Tachograph hours regs say that after 4 1/2 hrs driving you must have a 45 minute break (or one break of at least 15mins during the driving time, plus one break of at least 30 mins at the end of the driving time). The The 6 hours you are on about comes from the Working Time Directive (WTD) regulations, which states after 6 hours of continuous work you must have a break. However these are as complicated as the tacho regs. WTD regs for transport workers are at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/road/workingtime/rdtransportworkingtimeguidance
A little light reading! Bear in mind, that when driving the tacho regs take precedence over the WTD regs. Don't you just love red tape?!

[simbo7]

But I'm not actually driving continuously as I stop and get out every 5 mins, I thought there was a rule regarding this.

[sddsddean]

I'm not absolutely sure, but I think that got rescinded when the tacho laws were updated last year. Another 'similar'one that went was that tippers driving in quarries (private land) didn't count as driving time, but now it does.

[simbo7]

Cheers

[HotRodster]

This website has a really simple flow chart which makes a complicated text so simple, it certainly helped me understand the breaks and driving hours, especially when your doing multi drop and not continuous driving.
https://www.returnloads.net/hgv-drivers-hours-explained/