Call for action after man killed by faulty tractor

Agricultural vehicles need stricter legal maintenance requirements, says the coroner

A coroner has raised concerns about legal maintenance requirements for some agricultural vehicles after a man was killed when he was struck by a faulty tractor.

Richard Ellis, 65, died on Harwoods Green Lane in Stopham, West Sussex, on 23 October 2023 after a tractor which had been towing his stranded pick-up truck out of a ditch had a handbrake malfunction.

Mr Ellis, a HGV driver, had been collecting an electricity generator from a country estate using a trailer at the time of the incident.

West Sussex, Brighton and Hove coroner Joanne Andrews ruled that his death was an accident but raised concerns that further deaths could occur.

Mr Ellis' truck was freed from the ditch by a nearby estate worker using the tractor, but when the pair removed the towing strap from the vehicles the tractor's handbrake failed causing it to roll onto both men.

The tractor driver survived, but Mr Ellis suffered serious chest injuries and died at the scene.

The handbrake was examined after the incident and it was found that the pawl of the handbrake was significantly worn and would likely have slipped previously.

In a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report to the Department for Transport (DfT), Ms Andrews wrote: "The tractor had last been serviced in 2021 but the evidence that I heard was that it was not a legal requirement for there to be any prescribed maintenance or servicing of tractors solely used for agricultural, horticultural or forestry."

She added: "As such, the maintenance of these vehicles is dependent on the discretion of the vehicle owners."

The tractor driver, who gave evidence at Mr Ellis' inquest, said he had "no concerns" about the vehicle's handbrake prior to the incident.

Ms Andrews wrote that, in her opinion, there was a risk that future deaths could occur if action was not taken.

The DfT have been ordered to respond to the report by 22 November.