Police say they will take action against farmers after mud left on roads causes collisions

12:54pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Paul Rogers

FARMERS are being warned that they will be prosecuted if they continue to leave mud on roads after police were called to a number of accidents in the county yesterday.

Officers have said they will now patrol some roads on the lookout for farm vehicles dropping mud after three A-roads had to be closed.

An Army land rover and a Fiat Punto collided on the A465 between Didley and Wormbridge at 4.20pm, causing a female soldier driving the Land Rover to sustain serious neck injuries and the Punto driver a broken leg.

A car was also involved in a minor collision on the A417 at Burley Gate at 5.15pm, resulting in the road being closed for more than three hours because it was deemed too dangerous.

A tractor even lost grip while driving along it and police officers at the scene found it dangerous to walk on.

Meanwhile, a car ended up on its roof in Clehonger yesterday morning as a mother drove her children to school, although none of them were hurt.

And the A4103 Hereford to Worcester road was closed for a short time near the Newtown crossroads due to mud being left on the road.

"Every autumn, we face problems with farm vehicles leaving large amounts of mud on the roads during the autumn harvest as they move crops such as sugar beat, potatoes and hops," sais Chief Inspector Adam Thomas.

Related links

"While some farmers take steps to make sure they keep the roads clear and safe, not all are as diligent, so this year we have done a lot of work to remind farmers of their responsibilities and liabilities under the Highways Act.

"The West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership has been pushing a major publicity campaign and we have been working closely with the National Famrers; Union to get our messages across.

"However, we are still receiving dozens of calls from the public about hazardous driving conditions caused by mud being left on the road and I am worried someone could be killed.

"Therefore, we are taking a tough stance on the issue.

"Response officers are patrolling, looking for problems and they will not hesitate in taking action against anyone they believe is being irresponsibile and reckless.

"Meanwhile, Safer Neighbourhood Teams will be speaking to their local farmers to ensure they are abiding by the law."

• Have you been affected by mud being left on the road? How dangerous has it been? Call Paul Rogers on 01432 845883 or email paul.rogers@herefordtimes.com

Comments(19)

fox007 says...
3:21pm Thu 1 Nov 12

simple answer to this, keep tractors off the roads altogether, they are designed to be driven on fields so thats where they should remain, this would leave the roads clean and safe for every 'road tax' paying vehicle.

Report this post »

Lukio says...
4:17pm Thu 1 Nov 12

What's your view on this Farmer Bill?

Report this post »

Gillian1961 says...
6:02pm Thu 1 Nov 12

I was traveling back from Ledbury a fortnight ago the mud was coming out of a field on the Hereford road right round the dangerous bend at tarrington by the wall were so many people have been killed over the years No mud signs on the road weather was that rain was coming in that night i phoned highways when i got back to Hereford do not know if any thing was done.

Report this post »

Ch12345 says...
6:19pm Thu 1 Nov 12

What a foolish and ignorant comment from fox007. How exactly are the potatoes and other crops harvested at this time of year going to be transported from the fields to storage?? The vast majority of farmers make efforts to keep the roads clear by sweeping up the mud brought out from the fields. Those stupid enough to leave the road in a mess I agree should be prosecuted. Other road users should also take more notice of road signs put out (mud of road) and drive accordingly whilst it is being cleaned up. Look forward to hearing your response.

Report this post »

farmer ed says...
6:48pm Thu 1 Nov 12

What a stupid comment by fox007. If tractors arent allowed on the road how will they go from field to field and get the potatoes, corn etc to the storage to sell? and you would soon be moaning if you had no food such as potatoes, bread and any other!

Report this post »

trucking says...
8:06pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Tractors should stay off the roads as much as possible and leave the movments from farm to storage to local hauliers. I know sometimes they do need to be on the roads but not as much as they are, most of the time they dont put sheilds over forks or other dangerous peices of equiptment they have on them or tow, and usualy with bad lighting on the trailers and no number plate.They are also tax and mot exempt and run on red diesel and sometimes refuse to pull over and let traffic past. I know not all tractor drivers do all this but a majority do. I fear one day someone will be killed by mud on the road, i hope this isnt the case. They do Sometimes put signs on the side of the road, if that is what you can call them, they are usualy barrals with mud on road sprayed on them, which end up covered in mud and then you cant read it.

Report this post »

Ch12345 says...
8:49pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Tractors do stay off the road as much as possible. Can't think of any farmers that run tractors around on the road for the fun of it. Crops are stored on farms largely. It is the initial movement of the crops from the field to the farm storage that has to be done by tractor as it would be impossible for lorrys to move in the wet fields to load the crops. Local hauliers do move the crops from farm to mills or supermarket packhouses depending on crop. Regarding the bad lighting (guessing you mean bulb out) and no number plate there is no excuse for that in such cases the police should pull them up and treat them in the same way they would a car with the same problem. Covering up forks is really not practical in the majority of cases and if carried at the correct height and angled right pose no more risk if crashed into than a car would. Tractors running on red diesel, is basically a government policy to keep food cheaper. Without this tax exemption you would most likely have to pay 33% more for your food is that something you are willing to do? Tractor drivers not pulling over, as you said the majority do. However it is not always possible too due to nowhere to pull in. Sometimes tractors don't pull in to a lay bye when they could as they may have only a short distance more to travel before turning off. Are the barrels with signs on roadside not just as clear as your standard road sign? Most have a combination of the barrel and then your standard type signs as you can't have enough signs out as most people take no notice of them or drive to fast to read what they say.

Report this post »

trucking says...
9:20pm Thu 1 Nov 12

I agree with some of what you say such as red diesel, it makes sense as it is much cheaper, however i know of people using tractors such as the fast track to transport things from for example hereford to abergavenny which should be done by a haulage firm. Also some (not all) of the trailers being poorly maintained (as they need no mot and no six weekly inspection as trucks do) that i have seen the rear suspention snap and the axle come loose. I am not having a go at farmers, just the cow boy cheap skates that refuse to do it safley. As for signs, i think they legally need to be of certain colour, letter size and distance from each other, and not old signs or barrels sprayed over. Im sure that if there was a fatality some ambulance chasing legal egal would try and prosicute over (hopfully that does not happen).

Report this post »

billyb83 says...
9:44pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Well can't say keep tractors off the road that's a stupid comment as farmers are there to help put food on our tables. I agree that the mud on roads is terrible as I drove across by Newtown crossroads yesterday they need to put something in place to control the mess which I'm sure they will.

Report this post »

Biomech says...
11:18pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Can't they put catchers under the backs of trailers and tractors? You know, like when they put bags around horses **** so they don't **** all over the road.

Seems like an easy to implemen t, effective and efficient solution.

Report this post »

Grid Knocker says...
7:52am Fri 2 Nov 12

On Tuesday 23 October last at about 9.00am, I was driving from Hereford to Ross (via Fownhope). It was drizzling and visibility was sufficiently poor for most cars to have their lights on.

From the outskirts of the city to the bridge at Mordiford (4 miles?) there was a CONTINUOUS sheet of red mud spread across the entire road. In total, I counted 3 pathetic hand-written 'mud on road' signs.

The single culprit was the owner of the field immediately adjacent to Mordiford Bridge, whose tractors had spread mud all the way into the city.

Criminal!

Report this post »

mizza21 says...
11:55am Fri 2 Nov 12

I don't want to sound inflammatory here but Farmer's don't "put food on our tables". They run a business which is partly food production.
They must be profitable or they'll go out of business. Welcome to the real world.
They are not "custodians of the countryside" either.
I do not know many farmers who would not sacrifice good practice or ethics for a few quid.
If they can't be bothered or are too tight to clean up after themselves, fine them.

Report this post »

apdor says...
12:44pm Fri 2 Nov 12

mizza21 wrote:
I don't want to sound inflammatory here but Farmer's don't "put food on our tables". They run a business which is partly food production.
They must be profitable or they'll go out of business. Welcome to the real world.
They are not "custodians of the countryside" either.
I do not know many farmers who would not sacrifice good practice or ethics for a few quid.
If they can't be bothered or are too tight to clean up after themselves, fine them.
What are you on about. Are you totally ignorant to where your food comes from ?

Your Table > Supermarket / Grocers > Manufacturer > Farmer > Field

Lets take the farmer out of the simple list and you have no Potatoes, Wheat, Veg etc . Which means your going to have a very short life expectancy !!!!!

Im sure many 'townies' mike like to think the country side is there playground, but it isn's framers look after the countryside ! FACT!

I would like to say that having hauled potatoes, i agree that the farmers should clean up after themselves.

I would also like to add the following:

1) Everyone who drives is responsible for driving at the conditions of the road!! So if average jo comes across some mud, snow ice etc they must slow down !

2) Its not always practical / possible to pull in and let cars past.

3) If you cant see the mirrors on the tractor it means your too close ! and that the driver doesnt know your behind them

Report this post »

Ch12345 says...
3:00pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Mizza21 your comment isn't, inflammatory it's just plain ridiculous.
Your first point that farmers don't put food on your table wins the prize for the daftest comment within your post.
Everything they produce from combinable crops which make up your breakfast cereals, bread, etc. Grassland is used to produce livestock lamb, beef, pigs, poultry which all provide you with food. As Apdor says you might not buy your food directly from the farmer but without him there is none!
You also say food production is only part of a farmers business what else makes up the remainder I'm struggling to figure it out perhaps you could help.
Farms must be profitable or they would go out of business. Food production is subsidised in Europe to keep prices artificially low, without these subsidies most farms would go out of business. Producing food below the cost of production. Even with these subsidies many struggle to break even and survive largely on unpaid family labour. That is there choice they don't have to do that but they do.
Your point that they are not custodians of the countryside, if not them then who? Is it not the farmers that cut and plant hedgerows, maintain the grassland cultivate the fields? If this was not done the countryside as you know it now would sort resort back to scrubland full of brambles and weeds and trees like you see on areas on the edge of town that have been bought up by prospective developers and left to grow wild not pretty. Then where would your food come from? Good farming practice goes hand in hand with food production so no farmers dont sacrifice these to make a profit. The only point I agree with in your whole post is that those leaving excessive and unnecessary mess on the roads should be fined. However the majority do try to clean up the roads of any mess they make! I Would very much like you to respond to this but doubt there is much you can say to support or explain the silly points you made in your original post. So don't anticipate a reply.

Report this post »

littlewhitebull says...
3:35pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Most farmers are pretty reasonable people, and face a difficult job in preventing all mud from their vehicles being deposited on the road. I have just driven back from Cwmbran and witnessed three farmers cleaning the roads of mud.
No doubt they have heeded the NFU advice, which is listed below:
"Do everything possible to prevent mud being deposited on the road. This includes cleaning mud from vehicles, as far as practicable, before they are taken onto the road.
Be prepared to hire in equipment to clean up accidentally deposited mud - check availability in advance.
Keep to your own farm roads and minor roads whenever possible
Keep to low speeds - especially when travelling short distance - to help retain mud on the vehicle.
Keep a written record of your decisions on whether or not to deploy signs and/or to clean the road.
If there is a danger of mud being accidently deposited on roads, use authorised 'Slippery Road' signs with a'Mud on Road' sub plate to alert other road users.
Make sure signs are positioned to give maximum visibility and warning to other road users.
Clean the road as necessary during the working day and always at the end of the working day.
Ensure that labour and equipment is available and is suitable for the soil and weather conditions present.
Where a contractor is used, ensure that prior agreement is reached on who is responsible for mud on road issues (signage, cleaning etc)."

Report this post »

WYSIATI says...
6:52am Sat 3 Nov 12

It's a bad year for mud also for water and leaves. Driving a bit more carefully would do a lot of people no harm at all. At the same time there are places where farmers spread mud all over the road and in some make no effort to clean up. A bit of thought and attention where it's needed on both sides would help.

Report this post »

littlewhitebull says...
12:37pm Sat 3 Nov 12

WYSIATI wrote:
It's a bad year for mud also for water and leaves. Driving a bit more carefully would do a lot of people no harm at all. At the same time there are places where farmers spread mud all over the road and in some make no effort to clean up. A bit of thought and attention where it's needed on both sides would help.
Have to agree with you WYSIATI. After my posting yesterday about 3 farmers cleaning up mud from roads, I came across some roads around Ledbury that had very thick mud on them. One farmer had placed a notice warning drivers of mud on road. This does not exempt farmers from legal responsibility if an accident is shown to be as a direct result of the mud. A bit of a legal minefield, no doubt.

Report this post »

William Rudd says...
1:36pm Sun 4 Nov 12

Just look at you lot moaning lol.See a mud on road or a sign then slow the fcuk down.Simple.
Most Farmers clean up after themselves.
If they don't then they need prosecuting.Again Simple.

Report this post »

mizza21 says...
9:16pm Wed 7 Nov 12

Blimey, I seem to have annoyed one or two people.
As a rural resident of South Herefordshire I can only say what I see. Fields planted with Potatoes, Rape and wheat. Loads of artificial fertilizer used. Plenty of nice shiny new 4x4s. There are more Brian Aldridges than Ed Grundys here. They live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the world yet they do as little as they can get away with to look after it.
I do know about CAP and I'm not a townie.
My food mostly comes from my own land not the supermarkets, which I do not use.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree