Council seeks change to tractor licensing

Rod Blyth

OLDHAM Council will ask the government for a change of licences for tractors used on public highways as they seek to reduce reckless driving and noise disturbance in the borough.

Cllr Rod Blyth (pictured) highlighted at a council meeting yesterday that residents in the borough, particularly those in Shaw and Crompton, have experienced noise and disturbance from large agricultural tractors pulling large trailers from early in the morning until late at night.

Additionally, the tractors are at times driven recklessly and at speed, posing a danger to other road users, Cllr Blyth said.

Cllr Blyth moved that the council write to the secretary of state asking the government to sponsor a change in the Goods Vehicle Act to make tractors pulling large trailers on public highways to be subject to the same licensing and legislative requirements as apply to other goods vehicles.

At present, tractors are exempt from licensing requirements, and if they were classed as HGVs, would be covered by a commercial vehicle operator's licence.

The council will also ask MP for Oldham West and Royton Jim McMahon, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth Debbie Abrahams and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne Angela Rayner to make a representation.