Huge farm vehicles a worry for the countryside

The growth in the size of tractors, agricultural implements and harvesters is a worrying trend that has led to increasing complaints across the county.

Councillor Joyce Barrow says she has had so many emails and calls about the problem in her area in rural Oswestry she is calling for a special debate by Shropshire Council's scrutiny committee.

She hopes the police, highways officers and representatives from the NFU will attend the meeting next month.

"Recently I have been inundated with emails and calls from residents in the Trefonen, Morda and Coed-y-go areas near Oswestry about the huge agricultural vehicles causing problems on the local roads. The verges are being ripped up and there have also been complaints about the standard of driving of those vehicles.

"I know I am not the only councillor in Shropshire to have such problems in their area," she said.

"Shropshire is an agricultural county and farming is vital to the economy of the county. But the rise in the size of the vehicles is very worrying. They are getting bigger and bigger and there can be a danger to other road users."

Councillor Barrow said she wanted to hear from the police about the powers officers had to take action against speeding tractors through villages and tractor drivers using their mobile phones.

"I also want to see what, if any, powers the council has regarding highways.

"Where drains are blocked by mud from farms, can we charge for getting them cleared and where mud isn’t cleaned up and we have to go along and clear them, can the council charge the owner of the farm. Is there any information about how often this happens and the cost to the council?"

She said there had been numerous complaints to Oswestry Rural Parish Council about problems in the Morda and Trefonen area.

"Mud on the road from farming operations has been blocking drains leading to local flooding."

The scrutiny meeting will be held on September 3.