Stay safe

I would like to be able to report that we had a summer where not one person died or was injured while carrying out farming work. So many of us cut corners to save a few minutes but end up sacrificing so much more. 

A recent press release from the Irish Road Hauliers Association (IRHA) called for agricultural tractors and other vehicles to be banned from motorways on the grounds of safety because they do not have the speed capacity. This statement showed how ill-informed that association is about the laws governing vehicles that are allowed to use our motorways. The Road Safety Authority lists seven reasons why you must not enter a motorway and among them are: your vehicle cannot travel or maintain a speed of at least 50km per hour; your vehicle has an engine capacity of 50cc or less; you drive a tractor that cannot travel at or maintain a speed of at least 50km/h. So the rules are clear – tractors, or any vehicle with a maximum speed of under 50km/h cannot use these road systems at all. But any vehicle that can exceed this is permitted.

I think we all need to remember the rules for a second, and be a bit more respectful to all road users regardless of the vehicles we drive. However, since the IRHA took the first shot, I would like to respond with some observations of my own. Just recently, when driving on the motorway, I was delayed behind two HGVs, which were travelling abreast of each other for over 8km causing a massive build-up of traffic. 
As I continued my journey off the motorway, I encountered four large lorries in close convoy with a long line of vehicles behind. Because they were travelling very closely together there was no opportunity to pass safely and they hadn’t a notion of recognising the queue building up behind them. Later, I witnessed three occasions where tractors pulled in, when they could, to let traffic pass.

I would also like to remind the IRHA that farmers all around the country had land compulsory-purchased to allow the construction of motorways. In many cases this created split farms requiring farmers to travel on dual carriageways or motorways (where they have the capacity) to access their land. The construction of motorways and dual carriageways has saved hauliers considerable money in transportation costs, while farmers face an ongoing time and financial burden. 

You may wonder why I am dwelling on this. Well, we need to be mindful of the necessity of the motorway network for road users, especially tractor drivers. Not only farmers, but contractors, too, require these roads to be able to travel between jobs to fulfil harvesting duties and play their integral part in the food-supply chain. 

In relation to non-motorway and dual carriageway roads, I have said many times before that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, in conjunction with local authorities, should be obliged to create areas where large/slow vehicles can pull in safely to ease the build-up of traffic, particularly on notorious routes that are well known for hold ups.  To effect change, why not lobby your local TD or councillors to get this on the agenda. 

I encourage all contractors and farmers to continue to drive safely and with courtesy; when it is safe to do so, pull in to allow traffic to pass. Agri-contractors please, impress upon your drivers that speeding at any time is not acceptable but when hauling heavily loaded trailers it is completely reckless, as is the use of a mobile phone without a handsfree. 

To all other drivers, please drive safely and if you come upon a slower-moving tractor, please be patient and realise that there is probably nowhere for them to pull in safely – until they can pull in safely. Also remember that contractors and farmers are working hard to put good Irish food on your table.