Farmers gritting roads over the winter period have been warned to verify whether they can use red diesel to do so. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has urged farmers website to check its website to see if they can use red diesel for gritting.

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HMRC said it is monitoring the Met Office forecasts, as extreme weather means farmers in some parts of the UK have begun gritting public roads for their local communities.

However, only dedicated gritters (vehicles used for the sole purpose of gritting roads) can legally use red diesel, so farmers using tractors may not be permitted to do so. Farmers who use their tractors for clearing snow using snow ploughs are legally allowed to use red diesel to do so.

Revenues and Customs said that temporary relaxations of the rules are possible and, if rules are changed, announcements will be made on the HMRC website. An HMRC spokesperson said, “Extreme weather requires a flexible response.”