Legal situation with JCB Fastrax

[pbrettle]

Ok, being a sado and into big yellow trucks (a la Fast Show if anyone remembers that sketch) - I think that the latest JCB Fastrax are really quite cool. For those that havent seen them these are the tractors that have usually four wheels the same size and that can belt down roads at upto 45 MPH. We get them all over the place in Suffolk / Cambs as they are quite common.

However, I was wondering the legal situation here - they are tractors and therefore registered as such (better on the RFL etc) but the category for tractors means that it is a maximum of 21MPH. Yet these things go belting down the A14 at 45MPH. Are they breaking the law by doing this? If so, why dont they get stopped by Plod? Ok, so its safer to go at that speed, but they are avoiding the relevant tax etc by being registered as tractors.....

Just wondering if anyone has any idea on this?

Cheers,

Paul

P.S. I know that I am sad, but just wondering really

[plotloss]

I dont think its classified as a tractor... Does it not come under the same banner as a Unimog?

I agree though, they are wicked bits of kits. One of them and a Sanderson Teleporter would be just the ticket to rid the highways and byways of this great nation for the scourge of the one eyed policeman.

Matt.

[pbrettle]

Ahah,

It would normally be a tractor (not sure what the VED is on that) but seeing as they are 6500KG weight they would be classified as a Medium Sized Vehicle / Light Goods vehicle (which looks to be £350 per year).... confusingly I am trying to work my way around the DVLA web site and its crap...

BINGO :

EXEMPTED GOODS VEHICLES

Holders of a full category B (car) driving licence may drive any of the large vehicles listed below:

industrial tractors (tractors used mainly for haulage work off the public road, the vehicle must not have an unladen weight exceeding 7370kgs and have a design speed not exceeding 20mph);


But thats for a license - not sure about the VED


Cheers,

Paul

[Farmer]

Bu**er just wrote an esay on Fastracks and lost it

Here we go again

There are several fundamental differences that enable a Fastrack (or Unimog) to travel faster (though not nec. as fast as some do ) than a conventional tractor the most noticable from the driving seat is the Awesome brakes which are External Air assisted 4 wheel Discs (now ABS) as oposed to internal oil imersed discs usualy only in the rear axle (but acting on all four wheels via momentary activation of 4WD in modern tractors ), plus any trailed implements must have simmilar comercial spec air brakes .
A fastrack only has one brake pedal , rather than relying on the driver to lock the "Fiddle" brakes together for road work on a normal tractor.

The other major differences are dirrect steering conection between steering wheel and front hubs , rather than the conventional (in modern tractors) fully hydraulic pump valve and ram system . and also (non independant) full suspension ( though several newer conventional tractors now have some suspension on the front axle , and one even has limited travel suspension on the rear axle ) to keep the driver on the seat at high speed

The tyres are of course specialy designed for high speed use as old fasioned tractor tyres would overheat ( though most modern tractor radials are much better than the cross plys of 20 years ago)

The contentious (spel?) issue with Fastracks is that the Taxation is normal Tractor spec (ie now Free ) and they use red diesel , this and the fact they are a sod for trucks to accelerate past makes them hated by truckers , and the system is abused by many users who use them almost exclusively on the road to cover vast distances . naughty

[madcop]

All vehicles are classified according to the use for which they are designed.

The vehicle classifications themselves are simple but have complex exemptions with regard to some legislation including speed limits.

The classifications are

1. Motor car

A mechanically propelled vehicle, not being a motorcycle or invalid carriage, which is constructed itself to carry a load or passengers, and the weight of which unladen
(a) if it is constructed solely for the carrige of passengers and their effects, is adapted to carry not more than 7 passengers exclusive of the driver and is fitted with tyres of such type as may be specified in regulations mde by the Secretary of State, does not exceed 3050 Kg
(b) If it is constructed or adapted for use for the conveyance of goods or burden of any descrption, does not exceed 3050 Kg, or 3500 Kg if the vehicle carries a container or containers for the purposes of its propulsion any fuel which is wholly gaseous at 17.5 degrees Celsius under a pressure of 1.013 bar or plant and materials for producing such fuel,
(c) does not exceed 2540 Kg in a case not falling within sub paragraph (a) or (b) above

Basically what look like cars and small vans up to transit size and mini buses.



2. Heavy Motor car

....a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being a motor car, which is constructed itself to carry a load or passengers and the weight of which unladen exceeds 2540 Kg,....

These are things like the tractor unit of an Articulated vehicle and anything bigger than a transit van used for carrying goods or passengers.



3. Motor Tractor

....motor tractor means a mechanically propelled vehicle which is not constructed itself to carry a load other than the excepted articles, and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 7370 Kg.....

Excepted articles are water, fuel, accumulators and other equipment used for the purpose of propulsion, loose tools and lose equipment.

These are things which look like agricultural tractors but which are not used for agriculture such as road construction vehicles etc

4. Light locomotive.

'Light locomotive' means a mechanically propelled vehicle which is not constructed itself to carry a load other than any excepted articles and the weight of which unladen exceeds 7370 kg but does not exceed 11690 kg

This is the sort of vehicle that you see at travelling fair grounds that has solely a generator on the back to power the fairground rides and small mobile cranes.


5. Heavy Locomotive.

'Heavy Locomotive' means a mechanically propelled vehicle which is not constructed itself to carry a load other than excepted articles and the weight of which unladen, exceeds 11690 Kg

Examples of these are large mobile cranes and very big vehicles with generating equipment on them.


Recovery vehicles are a class on their own but depending on the size of the recovery vehicle, it could be classed as a motor tractor, heavy motor car or if used to tow two trailers, a locomotive or heavy locomotive.

Locomotives are the only vehicles permitted to tow two trailers at once ( heavy wrecker pulling an articulated vehicle which then becomes two trailers)

All these vehicles are subject of individual speed limits.

In respect of your question about this particular vehicle, without knowing the exact weights, I would assume that it would come under the classification of a motor tractor.

If that is the case then the speed limits are as follows for that class of vehicle.

VEHICLES FITTED WITH PNEUMATIC TYRES ON ALL WHEELS

(a) If the provisions of springs and wings as specified in paragraph 3 of part IV of this schedule are complied with, and the vehicle is not drawing a trailer, or if those provisions are complied with and the vehicle is drawing a trailer, which also complies with those provisions

Motorway 40mph
Dual Carriageway not being a motorway 30mph
Other Road 30mph

(b)in any other case.

Motorway 20mph
Dual carriageway not being a motorway 20mph
Other Road 20mph


Agricultural motor vehicle

Motorway 40mph
Dual carriageway not being a motorway 40mph
Other Roads 40mph


I hope that answers your question.







>> Edited by madcop on Tuesday 18th February 09:18

>> Edited by madcop on Tuesday 18th February 09:19

[pbrettle]

Ah hah, so it seems that it is not technically illegal to do 45MPH down the A14 - but it is if they are using them without correctly licensing them for the VED - i.e. as a light truck.... But for a farmer to use them to get between fields etc, then it is is perfectly fair to use them towing a trailer etc.

Ok, nice to know that they arent taking the pi55 totally anyway.

Cheers.

Paul