Farmers have been asked to ensure road are mud free, in the wake of the wettest growing season in living memory, which saw harvest delayed by downpours in many areas and ahead of the root crop harvest.

image expired

The continued unpredictability of this year's weather is likely to lead to an increase of mudded roads, which presents a serious risk to other drivers. It is illegal to leave excessive mud on road surfaces. 

The NFU, local councils and a number of police authorities have reminded farmers and vehicle operators to ensure any excess mud is cleaned from roads as swiftly as possible.

The NFU has issued guidance on the issue for farmers. The union recommends farmers be prepared to hire in equipment, keep to their own roads or minor roads wherever possible and keep speeds down.

Farmers must clean vehicles as much as possible before they are driven onto roads where mud could come loose, use signs to alert other road users, make prior agreements with contractors over who is responsible for mud issues and ensure they have adequate public liability insurance.

William Webb, a former farmer and councillor at Lincolnshire County Council said on Thursday (25th October), "When farmers are harvesting crops of potatoes, sugar beet, cabbages and other crops, they are taking them from muddy fields onto and across roads to store, and in some cases the roads are getting muddy and dangerous for motorists to use."

He asked farmers to ensure mud is cleaned from road surfaces during and at the end of each day.

Tweet