It turns out that there are many more tractors driving around in Limburg than assumed. Now that agricultural tractors have to be registered with the National Road Transport Agency, it appears to be at least 43,000.
Three of them are owned by enthusiast Thijs Briels in Ospel.
Classics
In Thijs Briels’ yard are two orange workhorses of the Italian brand Same, pronounced Samé. Classics from 1985 and 1976. And then he has a Fendt from Germany, 48 years old. Tractors made for power without too many frills. “I don’t like the cabs and being locked up. I normally only drive when the sun is shining”, he confesses with a laugh. No tractors with chip technology, air conditioning and other modern gadgets for him. Rather repair with an old-fashioned water pump pliers.
Registration obligation
Since January, there has been a registration obligation for new and second-hand tractors, which means that 43,000 units are now officially on the books in Limburg. This concerns agricultural and forestry tractors, moving implements with limited speed and towed equipment. At 143 percent, the number of agricultural vehicles in our province is much higher than expected.
The Rijksdienst voor Wegverkeer (RDW) does not know exactly why there are many more agricultural vehicles than initially thought. “We have made an estimate, partly on the basis of conversations with agricultural organizations and the sales industry. It is of course still guesswork,” explains a spokeswoman.
final sprint
For new tractors, there is already a registration obligation from 1 January 2021. Exactly one year later, owners of used agricultural vehicles are also obliged to register their rolling stock. Apparently that’s a late start for many owners. At the beginning of November, the counter was still at 25,000 vehicles. After that, a true final sprint was created. In just two months, the number of registrations almost doubled to 43,000.
Private property
The Limburg Agricultural and Horticultural Association (LLTB), together with the police and trade association Cumela, held two information meetings last year. This turned out to be necessary because many farmers had questions. What do you mean by public road? When is a road now ‘own territory’? For which roads does the registration requirement apply? Is there a difference between public road and private property? “It is not the case that farmers are against the registration requirement, but registering the license plates, sometimes for a reasonable number of vehicles, takes time,” says Michiel Maes of the LLTB.
License Plate
The introduction of number plates for tractors has been boosted by the demonstrations by farmers against the nitrogen policy. During the massive protests with tractors, some farmers crossed the line, but it was almost impossible for the police to determine who exactly was the culprit. License plates will soon offer a solution. A stricter policy for agricultural vehicles was already underway, because the EU is making the APK for agricultural tractors mandatory with a transitional period.
fine
Almost 750,000 registrations have been requested in the Netherlands. That is 113 percent of the expected number of agricultural vehicles. A registration certificate has now been issued for more than 623,000 of those applications. Because many reports did not come in until the end of 2021, the registration with the Rijksdienst voor Wegverkeer (RDW) is not yet completely in order. Owners of an agricultural vehicle without a registration certificate therefore do not have to fear a fine until July. After that, renunciation will cost at least 140 euros.
trade
Thijs finds the red tape not so bad so far. “Applying for a registration costs 18 euros. You provide the type plate, chassis number and a photo and then you get a piece of paper. It’s beeped in no time. I registered my three tractors at the RDW on a Sunday afternoon.”
Enthusiasts for trade will now rather look for tractors with a license plate. Because from 2022, the RDW will assess new registrations more strictly. “No, I’m really not going to get rid of my tractors. I might buy a few more”, Thijs chuckles. Whether they are worth more or less due to the registration requirement? “It’s what the enthusiast is willing to pay for it. It’s that simple.”