Working time legislation in road transport originates from the following EU directives.

Main Directive

This was introduced in the UK in 1998 and gave new rights to employees and placed additional burdens on employers. However, the transport sector was temporarily excluded from its provisions.

Horizontal Directive

This was introduced in 2003 and amended the Main Directive by removing the exemption for the transport sector. 

It applied the Main Directive rules to non-mobile workers, and some of the rules to mobile workers. How far the Main Directive rules apply to mobile workers depends on whether the vehicle operation is covered by EU or domestic drivers' hours rules.

Road Transport Directive

This was introduced in 2005. It added specific rules to mobile workers of operations subject to EU drivers' hours (tachograph) regulations.

The Road Transport (Working Time) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

Extended the scope of the 2005 Regulations to apply to self-employed drivers.