Police in Lincolnshire last week urged farmers to take action on muddy roads, following complaints from members of the public.

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Last year, when heavy rains coinciding with periods of field work, police forces and the NFU issued requests for farmers to keep roads mud-free. Leaving excessive mud on road surfaces presents a risk to other road users and can lead to farmers incurring hefty fines.

Farmers were asked to clean vehicles as much as possible before taking them onto public roads where mud could come loose, use signs to alert other road users to any potential muddy patches, make prior agreements with contractors over who is responsible for mud issues and ensure their public liability insurance is adequate.

The return of wetter weather, coinciding with a period of heightened activity for vegetable growers, led police in the East of England to ask last week that farmers use signs to alert other road users to slippery conditions and clean muddy roads off as necessary during periods of work and always at the end of each day.

The NFU has issued fresh advice on keeping roads clear.