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Local residents and council win the day at Battle Ground Farm

19th October 2006
Page 35
Page 35, 19th October 2006 — Local residents and council win the day at Battle Ground Farm
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

WEST MIDLAND Deputy 'Iraffic Commissioner Lester Madrell has authorised an operator whose business includes farming to run high-speed agricultural tractors. However, opposition from neighbours led the DTC to refuse authority for one of two proposed operating centres.

Freeman had sought a restricted licence for two vehicles and eight trailers with operating centres at Friends Farm, Epwell and Battle Ground Farm, Ratley. The use of Battle Ground Farm was opposed by Warwickshire County Council and 23 residents on roa d-safetv grounds.

The DTC was told that Freeman was a farmer, but most of his business was agricultural contracting. The only access to Battle Ground Farm was a narrow lane about 180 metres long. It was barely wide enough for the proposed vehicles, was used by pedestrians and equestrians. and joined the road at a complex junction. Granting a licence for Friends Farm on1y. with a condition that only agricultural tractors be operated, the DTC said Battle Ground Farm was unsuitable as an operating centre on road-safety grounds. Me design

of agricultural vehicles their height, the size of their wheels, their sharp edges and projections, and the equipment they carried all made them liable to cause serious in jury, even in a slow-speed incide nt.The same features produced an increased risk of penetration into the passenger compartment of vehicles, and that was what caused in jury and death.

Horses would be liable to be "spooked" if they met such a large vehicle on the track.The risk of an accident at the junction with the public road,with [possibly serious or even fatal consequences,could not be disregarded.

CCIIVOlie AND GOING CAN CONTINUE

The DTC's decision does not prevent vehicles of any description from coming to and going from Battle Ground Farm at anytime he is only empowered to prevent the parking of authorised vehicles at the site


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