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NEW AGRIMOTOR REGULATIONS.

18th July 1922, Page 28
18th July 1922
Page 28
Page 28, 18th July 1922 — NEW AGRIMOTOR REGULATIONS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

NEW order has been made by the Ministry of Transport governing the use of agrimotors and steam ploughs on the roads. The order is based upon recommendations contained in the report of the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulations of road vehicles, which was issued in April. It affects manufacturers, concessionnaires, agents and users, and from what one can gather the last named will be the greatest sufferers. It is not yet made clear what is intended with regard to the taxation of these appliances, but one or two of the regulations in other respects will hit the user very severely.

The first important clause is that-which renders the use• of agrimotors on the road illegal from September 1st next, unless they are equipped with one brake in the case of machines over 10 cwt, but not exceeding 30 cwt. unladen weight, and with two brakes in the case of machines weighing over 30 cwt. unladen. All tractor weighing 20 cwt. unladen, except chain track machines weighing less than 30 cwt., will be compelled to have two brakes' and those between 10. cwt. and 20 cwt. one brake, after April 1st, 1923. The only agrimotors excluded from the regulation are garden tractors of 10 ewt. or less. • Another clause places tractors weighing over 70 cwt. unladen off the map, because such machines will not come within the regulations of the heavy motorcar act, and they will not be recognized under the new order.

Regulations are also made regarding rim diameter of the wheels, the' width of the wheels and other details of construction, which, whilst not being superfitious, are at the same time not necessary.

The most serious part of the situation is that compelling owners of all tractors and agrimotors now in use to have them equipped with one or two brakes, as the case may be, or to keep them off the road after September 1st next. There are many thousands of these machines on the farms throughout England, Scotland and Wales, and it will mean that they will have to bein dock just at the very busiest season when every bit of farm power available will be

needed for securing the harvest and preparing the land for next year's crops. This /5 a very serious thing, not only in respect of inconvenience and loss of time, but in the matter of the cost of adaptation.

.Whilst one would not hesitate to say that brakes are necessary, at the same time one has to remember that the agrimotor has been a part of the British farming equipment for a number of .years and the Government has had ample time to frame these regulations and to give the agriculturists better opportunity of 'Meeting them. Apart from anything else, it will he as much as themanufacturers and repairers can do to equip all these machines in the eight or nine weeks at their disposal.

Accidents have taken place and it may be necessary to provide security against them in future. But, as there have been no regulations on the matter hitherto, surely, the Government department responsible could have made known its intentions in time to give the manufacturers an opportunity of meeting the new requirements without the suffering that will now be entailed both upon the farmers and the makers. Apart from these facts, the manufacturers will suffer because they have a good many new machines in stock, all of which will have to be altered before they can be,.sold, and in the case of some c. types it will mean considerable alteration before two brakeslcan be fitted.

An extract from the Order respecting steering wheels shows what is decreed :— " The steering wheel of any agricultural tractor 'to which this article applies shall when used on roads be fitted with a band which shall be smooth and where the tyke touches the surface of the road shall be flat except each edge of the tyre (which shall be rounded to the extent of not more than I in.) and shall be not less than 2 ins, in width.' When it is remembered that very few of the front wheels of tractors will comply with these regulations, the seriousness of the position in this regard becomes apparent. It means either that the wheels must come off and fresh ones be supplied, or that the appliance itself must be kept off the road.


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