Farmers urged to keep roads mud-free in Lincolnshire
FARMERS are being called on to help keep Lincolnshire's roads mud-free.
With the county heavily reliant on agriculture, Lincolnshire County Council is reminding farm workers to ensure the highways are kept in a safe condition for motorists to use.
Councillor William Webb, said: "When farmers are harvesting crops of potatoes, sugar beet, cabbages and other crops, they are taking them from muddy fields onto and across roads to store, and in some cases the roads are getting muddy and dangerous for motorists to use."
"To keep roads safe, clean and clear please try to not put mud on the roads in the first place. If you do leave mud on the road, please clean it during and at the end of the day.
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"Farmers should have plant machinery available to clean up roads, and put up warning signs in a safe location before doing so.
"As a former farmer myself I understand what needs to be done. At the same time farmers must be responsible and clean up after themselves."
Inspector Nigel Key of Lincolnshire Police's Roads Policing Unit says: "I urge drivers and motorcyclists to drive to seasonal conditions and expect at this time of the year for roads to be more slippery than usual, irrespective of how well farmers clean up after themselves.
"In general, most farmers take this responsibility seriously but road users should bear in mind that Lincolnshire is an extremely rural county and it is inevitable that our roads will get muddy."
An NFU spokesman for Lincolnshire, added: "We have seen some awful weather this summer and so far this autumn, and this has made harvesting conditions and field work very difficult for our farmers.
"However, mud on the road can be a significant safety hazard for all drivers; especially now that the nights are drawing in and the home commute will soon be taking place in the dark.
"The NFU is reminding its members to ensure they clear any mud from public roads outside their field gates, to keep our roads safe.
Farming delivers quality food and is a huge contributor to our local economy in Lincolnshire, but we have a duty to ensure that no one is put at risk from our work."
For tips on how to avoid getting mud on the roads and how to clean it up please download the Safe, Clean and Clear leaflet from www.lincolnshire.gov.uk
Comments
by ckb911x
Tuesday, November 06 2012, 11:33PM
“As a motorcycle rider and car driver of nearly 30 years I have had my fair share of hairy moments on the road for a variety of reasons. I was brought up in a rural area but do not class myself as being from a farming background.
This said, my personal view is that road users seem far too keen to blame others these days for their own shortcomings as either a driver or rider. Yes, it is unfortunate that a farmer traveling from field to field to yard will see his machinery drop clods of mud on the road at this time of year or when it is excessively boggy but most will try their best to limit this problem - even if that is cleaning up at the end of the day. But is this any more unfortunate that the highways authority / county council can only grit some of the roads in the winter due to costs and logistics?
I have always driven / ridden to the road conditions and maybe I have been lucky that the only accident that I have had did not involve anyone else and was through my own fault. But I am always mindful at this time of year that the road conditions, especially the more rural roads, may be muddy or icy and I take it as being my own responsibility to keep everything shiny side up.”
by InsideStory
Tuesday, November 06 2012, 6:40PM
“Lincs Road Safety Partnership is more likely to have been set up for jobs for the boys ,
We will see how dangerous mud on roads can be in the current cold weather we are having at the moment but lets hope i'm wrong .”
by Roadscource
Tuesday, November 06 2012, 2:08PM
“"It would be an idea for the Lincs Road Safety Partnership to go around farms and remind them of their responsibilities but they are only interested in speed cameras"
I think youve just invented the "Mud Camera" i should patent it quick before the Great Gatso gets hold of it.”
by Ian_Heighton
Tuesday, November 06 2012, 1:13AM
“The large clumps of mud left on the roads around here would be a hazard to bikers at any speed, not too bad for cars/vans driving at a reasonable speed. It is about time that the Police did something about it. It would be an idea for the Lincs Road Safety Partnership to go around farms and remind them of their responsibilities but they are only interested in speed cameras”
by bill2b
Monday, November 05 2012, 10:43PM
“Nothing wrong with a bit of mud on the road as long as you are driving sensibly”
by moocher1
Monday, November 05 2012, 8:38PM
“A building firm that has lorries going in and out constantly has to employ a road sweeper to keep the road clean..................”
by InsideStory
Monday, November 05 2012, 6:37PM
“Farmers are not known to use descretion or being told what to do by the law or anyone else.”
by Yer_Nemesis
Monday, November 05 2012, 1:24PM
“"I hate quotations" - Ralph Waldo Emerson”
by gsx1100
Monday, November 05 2012, 12:51PM
“Nobody has absolved any road user of using their common sense, and driving to the conditions, Lincoln_Biker, and nor does the legislation state it.
"A man who does not think for himself does not think at all"- Oscar Wilde.”
by Lincoln_Biker
Monday, November 05 2012, 12:14PM
“"So, M_C_Donald, the ultimate responsibility lies with the farmer, not the other road users"
And of course with legislation in place absolving the road user of wrong doing, why shouldn't we drive round exactly on the speed limit, in poor weather conditions, ignorant of our County's rurality in the harvest season?
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools" - Douglas Adams”