Protesting tractor convoy causes travel disruption

Tractor were driven into the centre of Reading

Farmers protesting about changes to inheritance tax have caused traffic disruption in Reading.

A group of about 25 tractors, some pulling large trailers, spent hours several driving on the Berkshire town's streets.

Changes to inheritance tax will see agricultural assets, which were previously exempt, taxed from April 2026.

The government has said it is developing a 25-year plan to make farming profitable.

The convoy met at Field Barn Farm in Beenham at 10:00 GMT on Friday before spending more than two hours driving through Reading.

They travelled along the Bath Road into the town before making a U-turn at the Oracle Shopping Centre and going up and down the A33 near the SCL Stadium.

Traffic stretched back hundreds of metres as the agricultural vehicles slowed on the roundabouts around the A33 with police officers stepping in to direct traffic at the busy junction.

Kate Bowsher who took part in the protest, said farmers felt the change in inheritance taxation was the "final nail in the coffin".

"We're being taxed everywhere along the line and ultimately the income we're getting from that land is very minimal in order to keep our farms running and also to produce food for the UK."

"We have more and more taxes, we have more and more restrictions put on us as to what we're allowed to do.

"The UK generally wants higher welfare standards. We're producing some of the highest standards in the world. Every single step of the way it feels like that's not good enough."

Kate Bowsher took part in the protest

From April 2026 inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m, which were previously exempt, will be liable to tax at 20%. That is half of the usual inheritance rate.

The government has said it has committed over £5bn to the farming budget over the next two years and that it is developing a 25 year farming roadmap to make the sector profitable for decades to come.

The farmers taking part in the protest left from Field Barn Farm in Beenham