Appeal for farmers and holiday makers to show consideration for each other

Farmers are working around and against the clock to harvest crops

The CLA in the North is calling on rural road users to stay cool this summer as soaring temperatures tempt increasing numbers of day trippers and holiday makers into rural Lancashire.

With farmers working around and against the clock to harvest crops and schools beginning to break up for the summer holidays, the CLA is anticipating increased traffic on often narrow and winding rural roads.

CLA North Director of Policy and Public Affairs Douglas Chalmers said: “Combine harvesters and lorry loads of straw are joining the silage and hay machinery already on our roads just as schools close for summer, and the current heat wave is bound to attract more people to visit rural Lancashire.

“We are appealing for farmers and holiday makers to show consideration for each other. Being stuck behind a tractor in a hot car is frustrating but it’s our food in those trailers and farmers do not have long to secure it.

“Equally, we are asking farmers driving slow moving vehicles to keep checking behind them, be considerate and to pull over if a queue of traffic is starting to form.”

The CLA is also advising holiday makers to be aware of the dangers when driving on unfamiliar roads in rural areas.

Douglas added: “School holidays mean more children about, so please be careful around farms or other houses at the roadside. Rural roads have many blind bends. Just because you haven’t seen a vehicle for miles doesn’t mean that just around the corner there won’t be a farm vehicle turning slowly, or a group of walkers, cyclists, riders or other visitors enjoying the beautiful scenery.”