New regulation aims to halt the use of single-line brakes

From 1 January 2025, it will become mandatory for new tractors to meet European brake performance regulations, which prohibit the fitting of single-line hydraulic brakes. To meet EC type-approval, from this point on, all new tractors will need to be fitted with more expensive dual-line hydraulic brakes, even if fitted with air brakes which classify as dual-line by their nature.

Since 2018, in order to meet EU regulation 2015/68, commonly called the ‘mother regulation’, it was required that tractors were fitted with one dual-line braking system.

This typically saw all 40km/h tractors fitted with dual-line hydraulic brakes, while tractors capable of 50km/h and over were fitted with air brakes, alongside single-line hydraulic brakes.

Technically, this still satisfies regulation requirements, providing all unregistered tractors are registered before the 1 January 2025.

Unregistered units fitted with single-line hydraulic brakes from then on will be deemed non-compliant.

The Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) has secured an “end of series” mechanism or derogation in the Republic of Ireland on existing unregistered and unsold tractors within dealers’ yards.

This allows manufacturers to register 20 units of the same type, or 10% of their respective sales for the previous two years during 2025.

The regulation is not retroactive, meaning that second-hand tractors and trailed implements registered before this date will be unaffected.

Trailed machinery

EU regulation outlines that from 1 January 2025, new trailed implements will need to be fitted with a dual-line braking system, in either air or hydraulic forms in order to comply.

From this point on standalone single-line brakes on trailed equipment will be non-compliant.

However, in Ireland and the UK there are no changes to regulations relating to trailers and trailed implements on the basis of national legislation, similar to how national legislation differs between EU countries for axle weight/speed limits.

This regulation change will greater affect certain EU markets, France being one example.

Therefore, Irish-built EC type-approved machines, or Irish manufacturers exporting trailed machinery to France or any other country in a similar position and adopting the regulation may have to make the necessary modifications in order to comply.

EU sources have said that dual-line systems at the moment are not backward compatible with single-line systems, posing challenges for mixed fleets. In essence, dual-line tractors will work single-line trailers, but not the other way around without the use of smart connectors or adapters.

However, they currently lack EU regulatory approval and could lead to safety and legal issues.

One Irish supplier pointed out that the additional cost of fitting dual-line hydraulic brakes to a trailed implement could be almost triple that of air brakes, given the complexity of the system and the additional components required.

Over the years these changes have indirectly increased Irish tractor prices, but the cost of dual-line hydraulic brake compliance on implements would be considerably more expensive for the end user if they were required under legislation.

Similar to the tractor situation here, in France there is an ‘end of series’ mechanism which applies to unsold trailed machinery fitted with single-line brakes and unsold before 1 January 2025.