A Transport Ministry review has recommended a number of changes to transport rules regarding agricultural vehicles.
The proposed changes have been met with approval by farmers, as they are anticipated to make vehicle operation more convenient and improve safety.
Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee prefaced the team's findings by saying "it is vital that land transport legislation applying to the primary production sector is fit for purpose and does not apply restrictions and costs that are unnecessary", while reiterating that "ensuring the safety of agricultural vehicle operators as well as other road users remains a paramount concern".
Probably the most significant change in terms of safety is the suggested increase in lower speed limit for tractors up to 18 tonnes (or 25 tonnes combined) from 30 kmh to 40 kmh.
A large difference in speed has been suggested as a significant cause of crashes involving agricultural vehicles - 85 percent of which occur in 100kmh zones.
The team suggested that the previous three-tiered system of speed limits be replaced with a simpler two-tier scheme.
"Setting a speed threshold of 40 kmh and grouping most other legislative requirements either side of this limit in two options is practical, simple, and will improve sector compliance and make the law easier to enforce," it wrote.
The 40kmh speed limit dovetails with simplifications of licensing requirements, the creation of a special agricultural endorsement that can be applied to a Class 1 license, and a relaxing of Work Time restrictions. The latter had been accused by industry groups of "adversely impacting agricultural productivity and economic growth".
The team also recommended that amber beacons be mandatory on all road-travelling agricultural vehicles, since another factor identified in crashes was poor visibility - winding country roads combined with a lack of hazard panelling or lighting on vehicles.
The review team's full position paper, as well as questions and answers, comparisons with overseas, and a ministerial statement, can all be found online at www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/land/agriculturaltransportreview/
- Rob Mildon of the Manawatu Guardian