Dispensation available to farmers using wide vehicles on public roads

Farmers who need to move wide vehicles on public roads should apply to Police Scotland to take advantage of special dispensation arrangements.

Police notification is required if a vehicle or implement is over 3m in width and/or projects more than 4m and is travelling more than five miles, or travelling on any road with a speed limit of less than 40mph.

However for the past two years the farmers’ union has negotiated a scheme whereby farmers can obtain dispensation for a full year to avoid having to notify police for each individual movement.

Farmers or contractors wanting to use this scheme can get an application form from Police Scotland or union members can get it from NFU Scotland (NFUS). The completed form should be emailed to: OSDAbormalLoads Scotland@scotland.pnn.police.uk.

If the request is approved, Police Scotland will issue a dispensation letter.

This will cover a full year and mean individual notifications are not required unless the width on the original application form is exceeded.

Farmers wishing to make a single journey with a wide vehicle can apply to Police Scotland for a one-off movement, providing at least 48 hours’ notice of the intended movement.

NFUS legal and commercial committee chairman Jamie Smart said it was vital for farmers to ensure that if they require a dispensation, they have applied for it and had it returned from Police Scotland ahead of moving vehicles.

“The union has worked hard to put this in place for farmers and crofters over the last two years, and it is of benefit to save those carrying out wide vehicle movements time and effort in applying for a dispensation,” he said.

“The dispensation document should be carried in vehicles pertaining to it, and produced in the event that the vehicle is stopped by Police Scotland.”

The police letter will cover a full year.