A tractor was seized as a result of illegally being on a motorway and other offences on the M1 route over the weekend.

Stopped by members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Road Policing Unit (RPU), the machine was seized last Friday, October 18.

The vehicle was not allowed on the motorway, with police also believing that green agricultural diesel was being used unlawfully.

Taking to social media on Saturday, the PSNI said: “Officers from Mahon Rd RPU stopped a tractor being driven on the M1 yesterday [Friday].

Not only was the tractor not allowed on motorways, it was also suspected to be using green diesel unlawfully.

“The vehicle has now been seized, and the range of offences dealt with,” the brief PSNI statement concluded.

Driving on a motorway

In the UK, including Northern Ireland, it is illegal to drive a tractor (classed as an agricultural vehicle) on a motorway; however, that is not the case in the Republic of Ireland.

If you are driving your tractor on the motorway and towing a trailer, the trailer must be capable by design of being drawn at a speed of 50kph or higher, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has confirmed.

Tractors can be driven on the motorway in the Republic of Ireland, providing that the tractor is capable of reaching a minimum speed of 50kph.

Since January 1, 2016, both tractors and trailers are required to be fitted with a speed disc indicating their design speed.