Contractors say NCT on tractors is unnecessary and will end up costing farmers
THE introduction of an NCT test for tractors capable of doing more than 40kph would add on a major cost factor that would end up being borne by farmers, it has been warned this week.
Martin Fleming, Regional Chairman of FCI (Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland), told the Farming Tribune that the introduction of an NCT would impose an additional cost factor farming could not afford.
“Agri and land based contractors run a very good service and have an excellent safety record. We are satisfied that most contractors have equipment that’s maintained in very good condition – at the end of the day, it’s farmers that’ll end up paying for this,” said Martin Fleming.
Farm and Forestry Contractors in the West of Ireland are now to seek an exemption from the NCT requirement following a regional meeting in Gort last month.
According to FCI, the EU Directive dealing with the ‘NCT/tractor’ issue is not a regulation and said that the Government had the option of using flexibility in the way the text of the Directive would be transposed into Irish law.
Over recent weeks, the FCI have had detailed discussions with the Road Safety Authority of Ireland and the Dept. of Transport with a view to securing an exemption from any NCT requirement.
Although the proposed NCT requirement would only apply to tractors capable at travelling over 40kph (just under 25mph), most of the bigger, newer tractors have the capability of doing 50kph (31mph) – critically this is stated in their CO2 tax form, even if they are only utilising the 40kph mode.
According to Martin Fleming, there were very real fears that the tractor NCT proposal would turn into a ‘money making racket’ and just end up costing farmers, money that they could ill-afford to spend.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.