Somerset Council is reminding farmers and other operators working on the land to make sure they keep roads clear of mud and debris.

As rural county where farming is a major activity and where farmers carry out a lot of important land and vegetation maintenance, it is a common occurrence for mud and debris to end up on the road. The Council’s expectation is that operators ensure all mud and debris is removed immediately when this happens.

It is an offence to leave mud and other material on the road, and people who do so may be liable to prosecution and for the cost of cleaning it up.

Earlier this year a Somerset farmer was held responsible for landslip resulting from land management issues which had closed a major A road, causing significant disruption.

Somerset Council successfully recovered costs of £19,000 for the ensuing clear-up which involved a Council highways team over several hours.

Last month, the A3088 Cartgate link road near Yeovil had to be closed to enable a highways team to clear mud from the road which was posing a major hazard to motorists.

Lead member for Transport and Waste Services Councillor Richard Wilkins, said:

We are grateful for the vital work local farmers do throughout the year – trimming hedges and ensuring road safety during winter with snow ploughing.

But there is a minority who fail to clear up when run-off occurs or when mud is left by vehicles working on nearby fields.

This is highly dangerous for the road-using public – in some cases it has happened on fast, major routes and drivers may not spot it until it’s too late.

Please ensure any mud or debris is removed from the road – as we have demonstrated, we will come after those who fail to do so and use our powers to enforce the law.

If you spot mud on the road or another problem you can do so quickly and easily here: Report a problem on the road – Somerset Council.

Find out more about this issue here Mud on the road.