Farmers are worried over news plans which, if they come into force, could see the running costs of ATVs go up by as much as 60%. The European Commission is looking into improving quad bike safety and if the new plans go ahead it may cause an increase in insurance along with import taxes.
One thing that is causing concern for farmers who rely on their quads when working around the farm is, under the new plans, they would have to license their bikes. Quad bikes are an integral part of life for many farmers. The bikes allow them to travel to parts where they might not otherwise be unable to reach, except on foot. Quads used on farms may also have to have their engine power limited.
If the plans were to go ahead numerous farmers could see a large increase in the costs not only in regards to purchasing a vehicle but also when it came to insuring it, taxing it and maintenance. An NFU assistant said that the proposals might completely undermine the current use of the vehicles in the farming industry and have a negative effect on the many farmers who rely on quad bikes on the farm. Part of the plans to increase the technical standards of bikes could mean that they will be around 60% more costly to design and build.
The majority of quad bikes used on farms are of course used with the strictest of security measures in place and are used responsibly.