Transport- Regulation
Transport regulation is an important issue for farmers, both as road users in general and as movers of livestock and agricultural machinery on road.
Agricultural Vehicle Schedule
Agricultural vehicle regulations have been included with general transport rules since 2001. This has led to confusion of interpretation for farmers, agricultural contractors, farm vehicle dealers and enforcement agencies. Changes to individual Transport Rules have led to duplication and in some cases contradiction between the regulatory requirements for agricultural vehicle use on the roads.
Federated Farmers wants the re-establishment of a separate schedule of regulations for the use of agricultural vehicles on the roads. Such a schedule should clearly separate agricultural vehicles from other classes of vehicles used on the roads. This would not advantage agricultural vehicles over other vehicles; rather acknowledge the unique requirements of these, largely off-road, machines.
Agricultural Over-Dimesion Regulations
There is a lack of uniformity between international standards and New Zealand standards which has generated additional cost to New Zealand agricultural vehicle users. Most agricultural machines are manufactured overseas and imported into New Zealand and these vehicles are manufactured to meet stringent international standards. However, when entering New Zealand these vehicles have to be adapted to meet New Zealand regulatory standards. Many machinery importers have difficulties altering farm machines to New Zealand standards, and the added costs are ultimately passed onto consumers.
Federated Farmers wants to see New Zealand's regulations brought into conformity with the agricultural vehicle regulations in the countries from where New Zealand farm machinery is imported. For example, European Union certified over dimension panels are not allowed to be displayed in New Zealand. The EU standard over dimension panels should be approved for use, along side the current New Zealand standard. This would save retrofitting costs and would not have a negative impact on road safety.
Worktime Rule
In 2010 Federated Farmers in conjunction with Rural Contractors New Zealand successfully advocated for a variation to the Worktime Rule, as in certain circumstances, agricultural contractors were finding it increasingly difficult to meet the Worktime requirements. While the variation didn't extend the total allowable Worktime hours, it allows approved contractors to condense their total hours into a shorter time period, adding an increased level of flexibility.
Only agricultural contractors are able to apply for the variation. The purpose of this variation is to enable the completion of critical agricultural tasks including harvesting. An allowance is also made for tasks such as preparing for planting or spraying a crop.
Overweight Vehicles
The vast majority of New Zealand's agricultural vehicles are imported and, as a result, reflect international market trends. Internationally the search for increased productivity gains has seen agricultural vehicles increase in size and this trend will continue into the foreseeable future. For New Zealand to take advantage of productivity developments heavier axle weight limits are required in the recognition that agricultural vehicles spend very little of their working life travelling on the roads.
Agricultural vehicles are fitted with large soft profile tyres and travel at speeds well below the legal road speed limit, reducing the impact on formed roadways and bridges. Overweight permits must continue to be made available to allow essential harvest machines to move to
harvest sites.
Stock Movement
Citizens have a common law right to move livestock along and across roads. However, councils also have the power to make bylaws for a wide variety of reasons, including public safety and nuisance, and most have stock movement bylaws. The Federation has been concerned that there is often a presumption of guilt placed on the stock mover in situations when accidents occur, in many cases poor driver behaviour is the contributing factor. Also of concern is that a number of councils have taken overly restrictive approaches that impose significant impositions and costs on farmers.
Stock Truck Effluent
Leakage of effluent from stock trucks causes problems for road safety, public health and the environment. Farmers are under increasing pressure to ‘stand their stock' for longer periods before transportation. The Federation supports the use of education to encourage farmers to stand their stock but more investment in stock effluent disposal facilities is also needed.
Federated Farmers wants
The re-establishment of a separate schedule of regulations for the use of agricultural vehicles on the roads
- New Zealand's agricultural vehicle overdimension regulations brought into alignment with those of the countries from where New Zealand farm machinery is imported
- A review of the worktime rule with a focus on how to make the rule workable for the agricultural sector
- A recognition that agricultural vehicles will continue to increase in size to take advantage
of productivity gains. As such, we want the NZ Transport Agency to commission research to determine the impact that slow moving agricultural vehicles, with large soft profi le tyres,have on New Zealand's road infrastructure
- Councils to be required to ensure that their stock
movement bylaws do not impose unreasonable restrictions, impositions,or costs on farmers
- The use of education, rather than regulation, to encourage farmers to stand their stock with more investment in stock effl uent disposal facilities by councils and the NZ Transport Agency.
Spokesperson
Federated Farmers Transport spokesperson is national board member Ian MacKenzie, you can conact him at imackenzie@fedfarm.org.nz.
