Mud, mud, glorious mud..

[Old Boar]

Simple question - who is responsible for mud in the road - the contractor or the farmer?
Local farmer employed a team, also local, so knew the road, to cart slurry from one place to another. Their tankers were too big for the single track road and have damaged the banks either side by cutting in at the base of the bank, and running over the verges. This has left the road covered in mud. They have taken a foot off the bank that protects my house. So who is responsible for the clean up and restoring the banks?
Thanks.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Should be the Farmers responsibility , he was master of the job , ......ie he employed the particular contractor etc etc.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I would think the contractor if there is damage done

 

[DeeGee]

Has to be the farmer ultimately.
The contractor is doing a job he has been asked to do by the farmer.

If farmers are going to start putting the onus on contractors to clear mud or to repair damaged banks and hedges; then IMO their prices are going to have to rise steeply or they will just refuse to go to places where the conditions are unsuitable for their large machinery.

 

[Robt]

before you go all guns blazing. Have they damaged your verge or have they actaully damaged the road verge . These two are very differnet. Find out how much verge is yours and where the road ends. Contact local parish council on this. Most roads the verge has crept over the years. You vary rarely own the verge too.

 

[Werzle]

I would think the contractor if there is damage done

Contractors are warned to keep off neighbours verges as it just causes bad feeling. No need for it

 

[Flatlander]

Contractor I’d think. Farmer pays for his professional service and shouldn’t have to pay a second time for any damage done by his crew. Farmer wouldn’t be responsible if said crew ran over a car.

 

[Nearly]

Each will blame the other. Parish council and town council will be sent around In circles.
One body with a shovel and a wheelbarrow will have sorted it by spring.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Contractors are warned to keep off neighbours verges as it just causes bad feeling. No need for it

We use the pipeline if access is bad .
Niebour nearly kicked my door in one night , silage trailers were running on his verges , I said take it up with the contractor, nothing to do with me , that's the last I heard

 

[kiwi pom]

Ring the council, then see who they give the bill to when they've finished cleaning up?

 

[Flatlander]

Council will give it to the easiest to find. Ie. farmer.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Ring the council, then see who they give the bill to when they've finished cleaning up?

Council??? They will do half the job and charge double to do it!!!

 

[Old Boar]

@Robt - definitely cut beyond the road edge.

There is a road drain in there which was at the edge of the road, now covered and a foot of mud on the verge side.

You can see the cut in more clearly here. The rain last night has turned the road into a skid pan. I had a word with the contractor who shrugged and said to speak to the farmer.
@Nearly - I think that one body with a shovel will probably be me, as the council would not be interested.

 

[Robt]

not being rude but that doenst look like your verge. Mud is a different situation though. Howver its winter so one has to expect mud.

 

[Mouser]

@Robt - definitely cut beyond the road edge.
View attachment 1012861
There is a road drain in there which was at the edge of the road, now covered and a foot of mud on the verge side.

View attachment 1012862

You can see the cut in more clearly here. The rain last night has turned the road into a skid pan. I had a word with the contractor who shrugged and said to speak to the farmer.
@Nearly - I think that one body with a shovel will probably be me, as the council would not be interested.

Over here road service would own at least a meter from edge of tarmac and no matter how pretty you make it you still don't own it.

 

[Sid]

Mud will cover any thorns from hedge trimming and cyclists will be happy

 

[nelson]

@Robt - definitely cut beyond the road edge.
View attachment 1012861
There is a road drain in there which was at the edge of the road, now covered and a foot of mud on the verge side.

View attachment 1012862

You can see the cut in more clearly here. The rain last night has turned the road into a skid pan. I had a word with the contractor who shrugged and said to speak to the farmer.
@Nearly - I think that one body with a shovel will probably be me, as the council would not be interested.

it does,nt look that bad to me to be fair

 

[Headless chicken]

Unless I’m mistaken I know which farm in question and I know which road it is.
the new owner maybe has never met you so worth going up to have a quiet word before going all guns blazing. Quite possibly he wasn’t aware there was a problem. Having been in the situation recently where I had a fairly threating phone call that could’ve been interpreted either way I can assure you if you’d like results then it’s well worth going at it with a sensible and clear mind to solve the problem. shouting and aggression will only make him ignore you more.

the road is small and agricultural vehicles are getting bigger, sadly as you well know that’s the nature of the job as margins run tighter everything has to be done quicker and with ever bigger kit.

the pictures above don’t look that bad but Ofcourse they may actually be worse than showing and I will say mud left on the road is a bigger issue than the verges.

finally a sweeping statement that you may well not like, but not aimed at you and may not even be applicable, but i spend a considerable amount of time appeasing people who have been able to run their business or live in the area unhindered for some time, being fortunate to own their homes paid off their mortgages and have settled, who then object to anyone who is trying to make it because it makes their shoes dirty

As above sadly tractors are getting bigger and need to get to the same places as they did before to chase an ever narrowing profit margin.

 

[Old Boar]

This may make it clearer

The black line shows the line of the bank yesterday, the red the ditch that was behind it. The planted wellies were put there to remind the silage lads not to hit the house, and it worked last year when I put them there. They had sunflowers in them. The stone wall is the end wall of the house.

And I ran out of time to go up to where they were pulling out, that is a slick of mud right across the road, quite deep.

You are right, @Headless chicken , and I intend to go and be polite tomorrow. I can be polite you know. I am still farming, so my wellies will have to be hosed down.

 

[Headless chicken]

This may make it clearer
View attachment 1012868

The black line shows the line of the bank yesterday, the red the ditch that was behind it. The planted wellies were put there to remind the silage lads not to hit the house, and it worked last year when I put them there. They had sunflowers in them. The stone wall is the end wall of the house.

And I ran out of time to go up to where they were pulling out, that is a slick of mud right across the road, quite deep.

You are right, @Headless chicken , and I intend to go and be polite tomorrow. I can be polite you know. I am still farming, so my wellies will have to be hosed down.

agreed that is unacceptable. I’ll pm you something now…