OFFICIALS have been urged to allow farmers to treat treacherous icy roads using their tractors.

Yorkshire Dales councillor John Blackie claims some remote country roads resembled skating rinks during the recent freezing weather because farmers could not use tractors filled with red diesel to spread grit.

Farmers are allowed to use red diesel for agricultural purposes. A lower rate of duty is paid on the fuel, making it cheaper than the standard white variant.

In rural areas, farmers are often contracted by the local council to clear snow from roads during the winter.

While they can plough snow-covered roads in a tractor filled with red diesel, if they want to fit a gritter to the back of the vehicle, they must empty out the red diesel and replace it with white.

Farmers say this takes too long. They are also concerned that they could still be prosecuted if traces of red diesel are found in their engines.

Last year, North Yorkshire County Council asked HM Revenue and Customs if it could pay a lump sum to cover the amount of tax lost if its contractor farmers were allowed to grit roads using tractors filled with red diesel.

However, a senior official wrote back saying this would not be possible.

Coun Blackie branded the response as pathetic.

He added: "My plea is for HM Revenue and Customs to think again, this time longer, harder and with a degree of common sense and civic duty - and before another extreme winter comes upon us."

A spokeswoman for HM Revenue and Customs said its officials were taking a pragmatic view to the issue of farmers using tractors filled with red diesel to grit roads.

"In extreme weather conditions we will exercise discretion," she added.