Which is why although it has been discussed elsewhere on this board the EC directive on the length of a bus route works well in Europe because there are more rail lines nearer more people so the bus routes don't have to serve large stretches of country such as North Devon and Cornwall, North Norfolk etc. without nearby rail lines.
Makes you wonder how they get on in France as large chunks of the rural networks have been abandoned (allthough not formally closed) and
SNCF▸ provide replacement buses instead.
Your getting the
EU» rules confused with the
UK▸ domestic driver rules by the way, the Uk domestic rules allow service buses on routes of 50km or less to run without a Tachograph and not adhere to the EU driver hours legislation provided the driver has a roster and / or timetable in his possession. This can of course be overcome by fitting a Tachograph to the bus, although in some cases fitting a modern digital Tachograph to an elderly bus isn't an economic option as it would cost more than the vehicle is worth. Coaches, (older ones are sometimes used as service buses by some operators with a wayfarer ticket machine bolted onto the front platform) generally have a Tachograph on them anyway.
Any news on the DCR or has their open access application been held up by the dissolution of parliament /
DfT» prior to the general election? Any news on any vacancies they might be advertising?
