13/01/2010 - Farmers restricted in clearing snow
Farmers using red diesel-powered tractors to grit roads blocked by snow could be fined, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) protested against the guidance, claiming neighbours could be left stranded in deep snow if farmers are not allowed to get to them. Current HMRC rules state farmers may use the reduced-tax red diesel when clearing their own farm tracks or public roads vital for feed deliveries or milk collections.
However, they can only use white diesel (which is the standard, fully-taxed variety) when gritting roads as a preventative measure against more snow, which means they must first drain all the red diesel from their tanks.
Geoff O'Connell, a parish councillor in Belford, Northumberland, said the rules had provoked anger among farmers. He said: "Doesn't anyone at HMRC realise that we are experiencing a national emergency, one of the worst outbreaks of Arctic weather for decades?"
But tractor drivers who disobey the guidance to grit roads may not face as severe a risk of legal action as expected, after a HMRC source said: "We aim to be as flexible as possible in these unprecedented circumstances."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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