Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Cross-border Railway Services (Working Time) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 1st October 2008.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“collective agreement” means a collective agreement within the meaning of Article 2(4) of the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992(4), the trade union parties to which are independent trade unions within the meaning of paragraph (2) of that Article;

“cross-border worker” means any worker who is a member of a train crew and who is assigned to interoperable cross-border services for more than one hour on a daily shift basis;

“driver” means a cross-border worker in charge of operating a traction unit;

“employer”, in relation to a cross-border worker, means the person by whom the worker is (or where the employment has ceased, was) employed;

“employment”, in relation to a cross-border worker, means employment under the worker’s contract, and “employed” shall be construed accordingly;

“the Executive” means the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland referred to in Article 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998(5);

“inspector” means a person appointed under paragraph 1 of Schedule 2;

“interoperable cross-border services” are services to the Republic of Ireland, in respect of which at least two safety certificates are required, as stipulated by Article 10 of Directive 2004/49/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 29th April 2004(6);

“leave year” for a cross-border worker begins on—

“relevant agreement”, in relation to a cross-border worker, means a workforce agreement which applies to the worker, any provision of a collective agreement which forms part of a contract between the worker and the worker’s employer, or any other agreement in writing which is legally enforceable as between the worker and the employer;

“relevant training” means work experience provided pursuant to training course or programme, training for employment, or both, other than work experience or training—

“rest period” means any period which is not working time;

“week” means a period of seven days which starts at such time as is determined for the purposes of these Regulations by a relevant agreement, or in default of such a determination at midnight at the beginning of Monday;

“workforce agreement” means an agreement between an employer and workers employed by the employer or their representatives in respect of which the conditions set out in Schedule 1 are satisfied; and

“working time” in relation to a cross-border worker, means—

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(7) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Daily rest

3.—(1) A cross-border worker is entitled in each 24 hour period to a rest period that is a minimum number of consecutive hours (“daily rest period”).

(2) In the case of a daily rest period that can be taken at the cross-border worker’s normal place of residence (“a daily rest period at home”) the minimum is twelve hours, but this is subject to paragraphs (3) and (4).

(3) Once a week a daily rest period at home may be reduced by the employer of a cross-border worker to a minimum of nine hours, but this is subject to paragraph (7).

(4) If a daily rest period at home is reduced by the employer below twelve hours, the minimum for the next daily rest period at home is increased by the number of hours, including any part of an hour, by which the earlier period was less than twelve hours.

(5) In the case of a daily rest period that cannot be taken at the cross-border worker’s normal place of residence (“a daily rest period away from home”) the minimum is eight hours.

(6) When there is a daily rest period away from home the cross-border worker is entitled to work that is scheduled to enable the worker to take the next daily rest period as a daily rest period at home.

(7) If a daily rest period at home is scheduled to be between two daily rest periods away from home, the daily rest period at home must not be reduced under paragraph (3) below ten hours.

Break for sole driver

4.—(1) Where there is only one driver and the driver’s scheduled daily working time is six or more hours the driver is entitled to a break, but this paragraph and paragraphs (2) to (4) are subject to paragraphs (5) to (7).

(2) The minimum length of the scheduled break must be 30 minutes, but this is subject to paragraph (3).

(3) In the case of a driver whose daily scheduled working time is more than eight hours the minimum length of the scheduled break is increased to 45 minutes.

(4) At least 15 minutes of the break must be scheduled to be taken between the third and sixth hour of the working time.

(5) If a train service is delayed the time and duration of a driver’s entitlement to a break under this regulation may be adapted during the working day.

(6) If possible under the timetable for the train service the total time of the adapted break entitlement must be at least equal to the minimum scheduled break entitlement under the relevant paragraph of this regulation.

(7) The time and duration of the adapted break entitlement must be sufficient to ensure the effective recuperation of the worker.

Breaks for drivers

5.—(1) A driver who is not entitled to a break under regulation 4 and whose scheduled daily working time is more than six hours is entitled to a break, but this paragraph and paragraphs (2) and (3) are subject to paragraph (4).

(2) The details of the break to which a driver is entitled under paragraph (1), including its duration and the terms on which it is granted, must be in accordance with any provisions for the for the purposes of this regulation which are contained in a collective agreement or a workforce agreement.

(3) Subject to the provisions of any applicable collective agreement or workforce agreement, the break provided for in paragraph (1) is an uninterrupted period of not less than 20 minutes.

(4) The employer of a driver may require the driver to work during a period that would, but for this paragraph, be a time when the driver is entitled to a break under this regulation; and when a driver is required to do so—

(a) the employer must wherever possible allow the driver to take an equivalent period of compensatory rest, and

(b) in exceptional cases in which it is not possible, for objective reasons, to grant such a period of rest, the employer must afford the driver such protection as may be appropriate to safeguard the driver’s health and safety.

Breaks for other workers

6.  A cross-border worker who is not a driver and whose scheduled daily working time is more than six hours is entitled to a break that must be scheduled to be for at least 30 minutes.

Weekly rest

7.—(1) A cross-border worker is entitled every week to a rest period of 24 consecutive hours (a “rest day”) in addition to the minimum daily rest entitlement under regulation 3 and any days taken as part of the worker’s entitlement to annual leave.

(2) A cross-border worker is entitled to 104 rest days each leave year, but this paragraph and paragraphs (3) and (5) are subject to paragraph (6).

(3) A cross-border worker is entitled each leave year on at least 24 occasions to take a rest day that is immediately followed by another rest day (together a “two-day rest period”), but this is subject to paragraph (4).

(4) If there are more than two consecutive rest days in a row, each rest day only counts towards one two-day rest period.

(5) A cross-border worker is entitled each leave year on at least twelve occasions to take a two-day rest period over a week-end, so that the period includes a part or the whole of a Saturday and a part or the whole of a Sunday.

(6) Paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) only apply to a person who is a cross-border worker throughout a complete leave year that begins after 30th September 2008, but this is subject to paragraphs (8) to (11).

(7) If a leave year of a person who was a cross-border worker on 1st October 2008 begins before that date, but has not ended by that date, the entitlements under paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) apply proportionately to the relevant part year, but this is subject to paragraphs (10) and (11).

(8) If a person’s employment as a cross-border worker begins after 30th September 2008 and part way through a leave year, the entitlements under paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) apply proportionately to the relevant part year, but this is subject to paragraphs (10) and (11).

(9) The “relevant part year” means—

(a) in paragraph (7), the period beginning on 1st October 2008 and ending when the leave year ends; and

(b) in paragraph (8), the period beginning on the date that the person’s employment as a cross-border worker begins and ending when the leave year ends.

(10) If applying paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) proportionately would, but for this paragraph, result in an entitlement to a number of rest days or a number of two-day rest periods that is not a whole number, the entitlement is to the number rounded down to the nearest whole number.

(11) Paragraphs (7) and (8) only apply if the person is a cross-border worker throughout the relevant part year.

Driving time

8.—(1) Between two daily rests taken in accordance with regulation 3 a driver’s scheduled driving time must not exceed—

(a) in the case of a shift that is scheduled to include at least three hours of night time, eight hours; and

(b) in any other case, nine hours.

(2) In any period of two weeks a driver’s scheduled driving time must not exceed 80 hours.

(3) The employer of the driver must take all reasonable steps to ensure that this regulation is complied with.

(4) In this regulation—

“night time” means a period which—

“scheduled driving time” means the time scheduled for when the driver is to be in charge of the traction unit, excluding the scheduled time to prepare or shut down the unit, but including any scheduled interruptions for when the driver is to remain in charge.

Records

9.—(1) The employer of a cross-border worker must—

(a) keep records which are adequate to show whether these Regulations are being complied with in respect of that worker, including information as to actual hours worked; and

(b) retain those records for at least one year after the end of the period covered by those records.

(2) The employer of a cross-border worker must provide a copy of the records retained in accordance with paragraph (1) in respect of that cross-border worker—

(a) at the request of the worker, to the worker; and

(b) at the request of the Executive, to it.

Enforcement

10.—(1) It shall be the duty of the Executive to make adequate arrangements for the enforcement of regulations 8(3) and 9.

(2) The provisions of Schedule 2 shall apply in relation to the enforcement of regulations 8(3) and 9.

(3) Any function of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment under the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978(8) which is exercisable in relation to the enforcement by the Executive of the relevant statutory provisions (as defined in paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 2) shall be exercisable in relation to the enforcement by the Executive of the regulations 8(3) and 9.

Offences

11.—(1) An employer of a cross-border worker who fails to comply with regulations 8(3) or 9 is guilty of an offence.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (3) shall apply where an inspector is exercising or has exercised any power conferred by Schedule 2.

(3) It is an offence for a person—

(a) to contravene any requirement imposed by the inspector under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2;

(b) to prevent or attempt to prevent any other person from appearing before the inspector or from answering any question to which the inspector may by virtue of paragraph 2(2)(e) of Schedule 2 require an answer;

(c) to contravene any requirement or prohibition imposed by an improvement notice or a prohibition notice (including any such notice as is modified on appeal);

(d) intentionally to obstruct the inspector in the exercise or performance of his powers or duties;

(e) to use or disclose any information in contravention of paragraph 8 of Schedule 2;

(f) to make a statement which the person knows to be false or recklessly to make a statement which is false, where the statement is made in purported compliance with a requirement to furnish any information imposed by or under these Regulations.

(4) An employer guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(5) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (3) shall be liable to the penalty prescribed in relation to that provision by paragraphs (6), (7) or (8) as the case may be.

(6) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (3)(a), (b) or (d) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(7) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (3)(c) shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(8) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (3)(e) or (f), shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment—

(i) if the offence is under paragraph (3)(e), to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both;

(ii) if the offence is under paragraph (3)(f), to a fine.

(9) The provisions set out in regulations 12–16 shall apply in relation to the offences provided for in paragraphs (1) and (3).

Offences due to fault of other person

12.  Where the commission by any person of an offence is due to the act or default of some other person, that other person shall be guilty of the offence, and a person may be charged with and convicted of the offence by virtue of this paragraph whether or not proceedings are taken against the first-mentioned person.

Offences by bodies corporate

13.  For the purposes of these Regulations section 20(2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 applies with the omission of the words “the liability of whose members is limited” and where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, applies in relation to the acts or defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.

Restriction on institution of proceedings

14.  Proceedings for an offence shall not be instituted except by an inspector or by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

Prosecutions by inspectors

15.  An inspector, if authorised in that behalf by the Executive may, although not of counsel or a solicitor, prosecute before a court of summary jurisdiction proceedings for an offence under these Regulations.

Power of court to order cause of offence to be remedied

16.—(1) Where a person is convicted of an offence in respect of any matters which appear to the court to be matters which it is in the person’s power to remedy, the court may, in addition to or instead of imposing any punishment, order the person, within such time as may be fixed by the order, to take such steps as may be specified in the order for remedying the matters.

(2) The time fixed by an order under paragraph (1) may be extended or further extended by order of the court on an application made before the end of that time as originally fixed or as extended under this paragraph, as the case may be.

(3) Where a person is ordered under paragraph (1) to remedy any matters, that person shall not be liable under these Regulations in respect of those matters in so far as they continue during the time fixed by the order or any further time allowed under paragraph (2).

Remedies

17.—(1) A cross-border worker may present a complaint to an industrial tribunal that his employer has refused to permit the worker to exercise any right the worker has under regulations 3 to 7.

(2) An industrial tribunal shall not consider a complaint under this regulation unless it is presented—

(a) before the end of the period of three months beginning with the date on which it is alleged that the exercise of the right should have been permitted (or in the case of a rest period extending over more than one day, the date on which it should have been permitted to begin);

(b) within such further period as the tribunal considers reasonable in a case where it is satisfied that it was not reasonably practicable for the complaint to be presented before the end of that period of three months.

(3) Where the period within which a complaint must be presented in accordance with paragraph (2) is extended by regulation 15 of the Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004(9), the period within which the complaint must be presented shall be the extended period rather than the period in paragraph (2).

(4) Where an industrial tribunal finds a complaint under paragraph (1) well-founded, the tribunal—

(a) shall make a declaration to that effect, and

(b) may make an award of compensation to be paid by the employer to the cross-border worker.

(5) The amount of the compensation shall be such as the tribunal considers just and equitable in all the circumstances having regard to—

(a) the employer’s default in refusing to permit the worker to exercise the worker’s right, and

(b) any loss sustained by the worker which is attributable to the matters complained of.

Restrictions on contracting out

18.—(1) Any provision in an agreement (whether a contract of employment or not) is void in so far as it purports—

(a) to exclude or limit the operation of any provision of these Regulations, save in so far as these Regulations provide for an agreement to have that effect, or

(b) to preclude a person from bringing proceedings under these Regulations before an industrial tribunal.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to—

(a) any agreement to refrain from instituting or continuing proceedings where a conciliation officer has taken action under Article 20 of the Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996(10) (conciliation); or

(b) any agreement to refrain from instituting or continuing proceedings within Article 20 (1)(q) of the Industrial Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (proceedings under this Order where conciliation is available), if the conditions regulating compromise agreements under these Regulations are satisfied in relation to the agreement.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(b) the conditions regulating compromise agreements under these Regulations are that—

(a) the agreement must be in writing,

(b) the agreement must relate to the particular complaint,

(c) the cross-border worker must have received advice from a relevant independent adviser as to the terms and effect of the proposed agreement and, in particular, its effect on the worker’s ability to pursue the worker’s rights before an industrial tribunal,

(d) there must be in force, when the adviser gives the advice, a contract of insurance, or an indemnity provided for members of a profession or a professional body, covering the risk of a claim by the cross-border worker in respect of loss arising in consequence of the advice,

(e) the agreement must identify the adviser, and

(f) the agreement must state that the conditions regulating compromise agreements under these Regulations are satisfied.

(4) A person is a relevant independent adviser for the purposes of paragraph (3)(c)—

(a) if the person is a qualified lawyer,

(b) if the person is an officer, official, employee or member of an independent trade union who has been certified in writing by the trade union as competent to give advice and as authorised to do so on behalf of the trade union, or

(c) if the person works at an advice centre (whether as an employee or as a volunteer) and has been certified in writing by the centre as competent to give advice and as authorised to do so on behalf of the centre.

(5) But a person is not a relevant independent adviser for the purposes of paragraph (3)(c)—

(a) if the person is employed by or is acting in the matter for the employer or an associated employer,

(b) in the case of a person within paragraph (4)(b), if the trade union is the employer or an associated employer, or

(c) in the case of a person within paragraph (4)(c), if the cross-border worker makes a payment for the advice received from the adviser.

(6) In paragraph (4)(a), “qualified lawyer” means a barrister (whether in practice as such or employed to give legal advice) or a solicitor who holds a practising certificate;

(7) For the purposes of paragraph (5) any two employers shall be treated as associated if—

(a) one is a company of which the other (directly or indirectly) has control; or

(b) both are companies of which a third person (directly or indirectly) has control;

and “associated employer” shall be construed accordingly.

Amendments to legislation

19.  Schedule 3 shall have effect.