Farmers and contractors are being advised to apply to Police Scotland at once for an agricultural dispensation for wide vehicle movements
The advice comes from the farmers’ union which warns that the police’s abnormal loads team has been affected by changes as a result of Covid-19.
The abnormal load dispensations, which avoid notifying police for every individual movement, are required if a vehicle and implement is more than three metres in width and/or projects more than four metres.
Any vehicle which exceeds these dimensions or may exceed them with an implement attached should be included on the dispensation.
The completed form should be emailed to: OSDAbormalLoadsScotland@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
Once acquired, a copy of the dispensation document should be carried in the relevant vehicles and produced in the event the driver is stopped by police.
The application is simple and free of charge, and forms can be obtained from Police Scotland or, for NFU Scotland (NFUS) members, the farmers’ union.
NFUS transport advisor, Jamie Smart, said: “There have been no derogations during Covid-19 for moving agricultural wide vehicles on the roads, so it is important that farmers wishing to move vehicles or implements over three metres combined width must obtain a dispensation from Police Scotland.
“However, Police Scotland are having to practice social distancing which may slow down applications.
“It is recommended that farmers requiring a dispensation or renewal apply in plenty of time preferably six weeks before it is required or previous one expires.”
