Farmers’ leaders have expressed disappointment after the Department for Transport (DfT) decided to halt increases to tractor and trailer weight regulation.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) warned it would hinder farm efficiency and competitiveness and is calling on the DfT to explain the reasoning behind the 31 tonne limit. Farmers are being held back by regulation that doesn’t reflect the capabilities of modern machinery or allow farmers to use it to full efficiency, and putting them at a disadvantage to other countries like Germany and France, with 40 and 38 tonne limits respectively, it said.

NFU combinable crops board chairman Mike Hambly said: “The NFU, with the crops board, has worked effectively with the DfT for many years on updating decades-old regulation on tractor and trailer weights and speeds, making progress in moving to 31 tonnes and 40kph. DfT’s announcement has put vital progress on this regulation in jeopardy.”