Last week, we reported on the new regulations for tractors and trailers on public roads. Since then, we have met with a team from the Road Safety Authority (RSA)briefly, following their meetings with the IFA Grain and Transport Committees.

Justin Martin, the RSA engineer who compiled all of the information and the supporting documents on the new regulations, was on hand at the IFA meeting to answer any queries.

Both committees welcomed the new regulations as important safety measures.

These new regulations deal with a number of key road safety areas, including braking, lighting and visibility, weights, dimensions and coupling, plating and speed rating.

Justin is satisfied that the majority of correctly-maintained tractors and trailers in use will already comply with the revised standards being introduced.

Width changes

The overall width of an agricultural trailer or piece of towed equipment weighing more than 3.5t has been increased from 2.5m to 2.55m.

There are items which are disregarded in the calculation of the overall width of an agricultural trailer or piece of interchangeable towed equipment.

These include the projecting part of flotation tyres and associated mudguards protruding beyond the bodywork on each side of the vehicle up to a maximum of 100mm and devices associated with hydraulic rear door opening mechanisms.

Trailer brakes

The new regulations state that agricultural tractors with a maximum design speed exceeding 40km/h must be equipped with service, emergency and parking brakes with efficiencies of at least 45%, 22.5% and 16%, respectively.

These machines now account for a significant number of tractors on Irish farms and in contractor fleets.

The regulation also states that tractors rated at under 40km/h must be equipped with service and parking brakes with efficiencies of at least 25% and 16%, respectively.

On trailer braking, it says that agricultural trailers over 3t unladen and where capable by design of being drawn at a speed exceeding 40km/h must be equipped with service, breakaway and parking brakes with efficiencies of at least 45%, 13.5% and 16%, respectively.

It stipulates that these higher-speed trailers must be fitted with air brake systems with load sensing.

Trailers being pulled by higher speed tractors over 60km/h are, in addition, required to be fitted with anti-lock braking systems (ABS). Agricultural trailers that are not rated to more than 40km/h road speed must be equipped with service and parking brakes with efficiencies of at least 25% and 16%, respectively.

The regulation states that vehicles in this category that are manufactured on or after 1 January 2016 must also be fitted with a breakaway brake with an efficiency of at least 13.5%. It notes that trailers manufactured prior to 1 January 2016 may alternatively be fitted with a secondary coupling consisting of a chain or wire rope.

The RSA has provided some useful guidelines on the type and connection points for these types of secondary couplings.