Major traffic disruption expected in Omagh during tractor protest

Motorists are being warned to expect major delays on Saturday during a tractor protest in Omagh.

Hundreds of vehicles are expected to take part in the demonstration in opposition to inheritance tax changes for farms.

The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) is organising seven separate tractor runs, with two in Co Down and one in each of the north’s five other counties.

All will start at 2pm, with applications to the Parades Commission stating that up to 400 tractors are expected to take part in each run.

The processions are being held to protest the British government’s proposed changes to agricultural property relief (APR), which limits the inheritance tax that farmers and landowners must pay when passing farmland on to heirs by up to 100%.

The Tyrone protest will set off from Omagh Auction Mart on Saturday afternoon.

It will travel along the Gillygooley Road, Great Northern Road, Doogary Road, Bankmore Road, Donaghanie Road, Hospital Road, Crevenagh Road, before heading back along the Great Northern Road and Gillygooley Road to finish at the mart.

Farmers taking part in the protest are able to register at the start point from 12.30pm.

Speaking in advance of this weekend’s protest, UFU president William Irvine said the British government must “take a long hard look at what they are on the brink of doing and fully grasp the consequences of what the changes to APR and BPR (business property relief) will do, not only to UK farming, but to UK society”.

He added: “This only stops when changes are made that uphold our proud farming legacy and the family farm structure that defines us.”