Changes to the rules relating to the use of red diesel will come
into effect from April 1 2022 as a result of amendments to the
Hydro Carbon Oil Duties Act 1979.
The new rules set out a list of “excepted machines”
which are allowed to use red diesel.
A vehicle that is used for a purpose related to agriculture,
aquatic farming, horticulture and forestry is allowed to use red
diesel and can be used on the public road if the use is for one of
those purposes.
A vehicle which is ordinarily kept in use for agriculture,
aquatic farming, horticulture and forestry can use red diesel for
any another purpose so long as it is being used on the land where
it is ordinarily kept.
If you keep your tractor on your own farm, you can use it for
whatever purpose you like and still be entitled to use red diesel,
so long as it is also being used for agricultural purposes. And a
vehicle that is used to cut trees, hedges and verges and to deal
with frost, ice, snow and flooding is