Farmers undercutting hauliers is ‘illegal’
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By Christopher Walton VOSA SAYS IT wants to ensure a level playing ield for all hire and reward hauliers after one operator contacted CM to complain he was being undercut by local farmers.
The bulk and grain haulier in Warwickshire, who wishes to remain anonymous, asked for Vosa to clarify its position on enforcing hire and reward movements conducted by farmers with tractors and trailers.
“They are moving compost waste with agricultural tractors and trailers; they have red diesel and no O-licence. I went to price a job to move some compost 10 miles and it had already been done by a farmer,” he says.
A Vosa spokeswoman says: “Vosa carries out roadside enforcement on all vehicles. This includes haulage carried out by agricultural vehicles.” She adds that there are exemptions from regulations for some agricultural uses but Vosa can, and does, prohibit and prosecute “where appropriate those that seek to use agricultural vehicles as a way of carrying out general haulage”.
Benjamin Ellis, regulatory affairs advisor at the National Farmers Union, says that the process is illegal and one the union strongly advises members against. He encourages any operator affected in such a way to report the incidence to Vosa.