martine wrote:
I was considering reporting the latter driver - as it really wasn't considerate or safe - but is there a specific law against doing this?
I will first address the issue of mud on the road. Mud causes a nuisance in terms of the mess it makes of other vehicles, and a hazard in terms of making the road slippy especially for cyclists and motorcyclists, accordingly landowners must put steps in place to prevent mud being drawn onto the road where practicable and where not to put steps in place to clean it up.
The relevant statutes are:
Highways Act 1980 Sect 148
If, without lawful authority or excuse—
....
a person deposits any thing whatsoever on a highway to the interruption of any user of the highway, or
....
he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
Highways Act 1080 Sect 149(1)If any thing is so deposited on a highway as to constitute a nuisance, the highway authority for the highway may by notice require the person who deposited it there to remove it forthwith and if he fails to comply with the notice the authority may make a complaint to a magistrates’ court for a removal and disposal order under this section.
Highways Act 1980 Sect 161(1)If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, deposits any thing whatsoever on a highway in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
.....
(4)If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, allows any filth, dirt, lime or other offensive matter or thing to run or flow on to a highway from any adjoining premises, he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
Agricultural activities fall within the scope of health and safety legislation:
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Sect 3 General duties of employers and self-employed to persons other than their employees.
(1)It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.
(2)It shall be the duty of every self-employed person to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that he and other persons (not being his employees) who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.
In the first instance you should contact the local Highways Authority.
Turning to the matter of mud being thrown off vehicles this is unsurprisingly also an offence:
Construction and Use Regulations 1986 Reg 100(2) The load carried by a motor vehicle or trailer shall at all times be so secured, if necessary by physical restraint other than its own weight, and be in such a position, that neither danger nor nuisance is likely to be caused to any person or property by reason of the load or any part thereof falling or being blown from the vehicle or by reason of any other movement of the load or any part thereof in relation to the vehicle.
(3) No motor vehicle or trailer shall be used for any purpose for which it is so unsuitable as to cause or be likely to cause danger or nuisance to any person in or on the vehicle or trailer or on a road.
It is perhaps arguable if dirt or debris picked up on a vehicle constitutes "a load" however I'd be quite comfortable arguing that using a vehicle in a condition where mud is being thrown off the wheels in the manner you describe would fall within the scope of general catch all Reg 100(3) clause.
Complaints relating to the vehicle and it's load should be directed to the police, and if a standard HGV type vehicle is involved the Traffic Commissioner.
EDIT: MGF beat me too it....