The relaxations include: a daily driving limit of 10 hours, instead of the current 9; a weekly rest period of 24 hours, instead of the current 45 hours; and no weekly or fortnightly driving time limits, which are currently set at 56 and 90 hours. 

In response to a letter from Secretary of State for Transport Ruth Kelly, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said: "At long last, the UK Government has recognised the scale of the crisis facing Scotland's livestock sector and the need for hauliers to have this concession to allow them to get moving again and deal with the backlog of livestock. 

He said it is “very frustrating” that it has taken weeks of negotiation to get this “modest concession”, but added: "… we are grateful that the UK Government has finally recognised that this is not a ‘short-term local problem’ as they originally said, but a crisis which is not of our farmers' own making. 

"We are continuing to push for the export ban to be lifted and for the UK Government to fund a sheep welfare scheme."

NFU Scotland said that the “long-awaited recognition” from the UK Government that drivers’ hours must be temporarily relaxed would help address the huge logistical problems facing the industry in the wake of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Andy Robertson, chief executive, NFUS, said that the UK Government has at last “woken up” to the road haulage problems north of the border. He continued: “It really shouldn’t have taken this long for the Department for Transport to address this issue.  It has taken a concerted campaign by the Scottish Government, NFUS, hauliers and others – including personal interventions by the Cabinet Secretary and First Minister – to finally get this much needed relaxation from London.

“The problems in August were bad, but the re-emergence of disease has hit the industry at the worst possible time.  With sales now being organised over a much shorter period, there was a real danger that animals were going to be stranded all over the country with huge welfare implications.

“This move doesn’t mean that the haulage capacity problems will disappear completely but at least drivers can now operate with some much needed flexibility.” 

Roger King, chief executive, Road Hauliers Association, said that they were disappointed that the DfT took so long to “do the obvious” but added that the decision was no less welcome. He added: “As a result of the delay, the problem has become more acute but now, at least, livestock hauliers can address the backlog."

The news was also welcomed by other political parties. John Scott MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & the Environment, said:

“At long last the UK Government has responded to the reasonable request from hauliers and the livestock industry for a temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours.

“That it has taken this long to break the long-jam on this issue is little short of intolerable, but at least this temporary relaxation provides some help as the delayed autumn sales programme resumes on Thursday."