ARE TRACTORS ALLOWED ON THE MOTORWAY

[SCOTTE999]

Just a quick question, are tractors allowed to drive on the motorway??

there were huge delays today on the m4 this tractor doing about 30mph pulling a trailer.

ok it did have flashing beacons but first one ive ever seen on the motorway and hopefully the last.

it was a john deere if thats any help.

[Syd knee]

No

[naetype]

Yes, as long as they are capable of exceeding 25mph.
JCB Fastrac for example.

From HSE: As a locomotive the Fastrac would be restricted to a maximum speed of 40 mph on motorways and 30 mph on other roads unless there is a lower maximum speed limit in force. It is worth noting that other conventional agricultural tractors registered as “locomotives” would be restricted to 20 mph because they are not equipped with full fourwheel suspension.

Edited by naetype on Wednesday 28th July 20:39

[Zed Ed]

in ireland, they go anywhere

farmer on M4 clearly an @?rse

[oldsoak]

Farm tractors are not allowed on motorways.

Just because it was a tractor doesn't mean it was taxed as an agricultural vehicle and running on red diesel it may be taxed as a commercial vehicle and running on regular road fuel... therefore not by definition a 'farm tractor'. So if memory serves if they are not 'farm tractors' they are allowed on the motorway...
I stand ready to be corrected though...

[Lonely]

Highway Code Rule 253

Prohibited vehicles. Motorways MUST NOT be used by pedestrians, holders of provisional motorcycle or car licences, riders of motorcycles under 50 cc, cyclists, horse riders, certain slow-moving vehicles and those carrying oversized loads (except by special permission), agricultural vehicles, and powered wheelchairs/powered mobility scooters

Having difficulty finding a definition for "certain slow-moving vehicles"

[Condi]

Lonely said:

Highway Code Rule 253

Prohibited vehicles. Motorways MUST NOT be used by pedestrians, holders of provisional motorcycle or car licences, riders of motorcycles under 50 cc, cyclists, horse riders, certain slow-moving vehicles and those carrying oversized loads (except by special permission), agricultural vehicles, and powered wheelchairs/powered mobility scooters

Having difficulty finding a definition for "certain slow-moving vehicles"

Isnt slow moving less than 50k? I know some of them certainly qualify as fast enough - Fastracs have 60 or 70k boxes, some Fendts to 65k happily and some of the prototypes do 80k (50mph). If its taxed as anything other than ag then its legal.

[SCOTTE999]

seems like a right can of worms then lol

[u05je7]

naetype said:

Yes, as long as they are capable of exceeding 25mph.
JCB Fastrac for example.

From HSE: As a locomotive the Fastrac would be restricted to a maximum speed of 40 mph on motorways and 30 mph on other roads unless there is a lower maximum speed limit in force. It is worth noting that other conventional agricultural tractors registered as “locomotives” would be restricted to 20 mph because they are not equipped with full fourwheel suspension.

Edited by naetype on Wednesday 28th July 20:39

Not quite sure about that, couple of the New Hollands will push 34 with a silage clamp on the back, wouldn't take one on the motorway. Not sure about the fastracks, some of the haulage firms use them as they are rapid and fairly frugal on fuel, never seen one on the motorway though. Doubt they would have much problem though, they absolutely fly around our way, even with 30 tonne on the back. The German versions are geared to 55mph aren't they so suppose they would quite happily not cause chaos on the motorway.

[Viperzs]

Even on a normal road, if they are causing a tail back of over a certain number of vehicles (dont remember how many) then they HAVE to pull over. Clearly if they don't they could get done for causing an obstruction on a public highway

[Deva Link]

Viperzs said:

...a tail back of over a certain number of vehicles...

What, the driver is supposed to look back and count them?

[PeteG]

Viperzs said:

Even on a normal road, if they are causing a tail back of over a certain number of vehicles (dont remember how many) then they HAVE to pull over. Clearly if they don't they could get done for causing an obstruction on a public highway

HC says you should pull over to let faster traffic past, but there's no specified number.

[CTE]

I live in Norfolk and regularly travel along the A14, where upon long tail backs and subsequent accidents are caused by slow moving tractors. Sure there is the legal definition of a "slow moving or agricultural vehical", but its all out of date rubbish. Its crazy in my opinion that any vehical not capable of doing at least 50mph is allowed onto a dual carriageway, let alone a motorway....maybe at quite times with clearly visible flashing lights.
Nothing usefully practical will change though....rules and laws are made by arrogant individuals stuck in London who rarely drive anywhere and still think its 1950.

[Lonely]

Viperzs said:

Even on a normal road, if they are causing a tail back of over a certain number of vehicles (dont remember how many) then they HAVE to pull over. Clearly if they don't they could get done for causing an obstruction on a public highway

Where's that piece of legislation then?

[carmonk]

How dare you question the rights of a farmer. They own the road, thanks very much, so clearly they can do what they like.

[rudecherub]

carmonk said:

How dare you question the rights of a farmer. They own the road, thanks very much, so clearly they can do what they like.

Depends if it's maintained by the Highways authority, if not the landowner owns the road to the middle, if he owns land on both sides, then he owns the road. IIRC

[Rubin215]

CTE said:

I live in Norfolk and regularly travel along the A14, where upon long tail backs and subsequent accidents are caused by slow moving tractors. Sure there is the legal definition of a "slow moving or agricultural vehical", but its all out of date rubbish. Its crazy in my opinion that any vehical not capable of doing at least 50mph is allowed onto a dual carriageway, let alone a motorway....maybe at quite times with clearly visible flashing lights.
Nothing usefully practical will change though....rules and laws are made by arrogant individuals stuck in London who rarely drive anywhere and still think its 1950.

You are aware, of course, that the legal speed limit for a Large Goods Vehicle (i.e. anything over 7.5 tonnes) is only 50 mph on a dual carriageway.

It would be nice to see the country's haulage network grind to a halt if they were forced to use single carriageways at a maximum legal speed of 40 mph, wouldn't it...?

[thunderbelmont]

CTE said:

I live in Norfolk and regularly travel along the A14, where upon long tail backs and subsequent accidents are caused by slow moving tractors. Sure there is the legal definition of a "slow moving or agricultural vehical", but its all out of date rubbish. Its crazy in my opinion that any vehical not capable of doing at least 50mph is allowed onto a dual carriageway, let alone a motorway....maybe at quite times with clearly visible flashing lights.
Nothing usefully practical will change though....rules and laws are made by arrogant individuals stuck in London who rarely drive anywhere and still think its 1950.

The A14 doesn't go through Norfolk. It stretches between the M1/M6 in Northamptonshire via Cambridgeshire, through Suffolk where it ends before you end up in the sea at Felixstowe.

The accelerator pedal can go up as well as down.

[anonymous-user]

CTE said:

I live in Norfolk and regularly travel along the A14, where upon long tail backs and subsequent accidents are caused by slow moving tractors.

At least that's cleared up my moronic opinion that people should actually look what's in front & around them and drive/stop accordingly .
It may upset you to know every rtc i heard & dealt with today only involved cars. Not 1 truck involved and people want to ban trucks

CTE said:

Its crazy in my opinion that any vehical not capable of doing at least 50mph is allowed on a dual carriageway

Does that mean you have a minimum speed limit ? How do you enforce it and will cyclists mopeds etc be banned from it.
That's along the strange concept of enforcing motorway driving to be part of a driving test. How far is the nearest motorway from some of Norfolks driving test centres ?

CTE said:

Nothing usefully practical will change though....rules and laws are made by arrogant individuals stuck in London who rarely drive anywhere and still think its 1950.

Possibly. But if you had no one to 'consider' your way of thinking there would be an outcry when food starting to go short on the shelves as tractors & agri vehicles are limited to smaller roads