THE European Parliament has voted down a proposal that would have restricted the hours tractor drivers could spend at the wheel.

Vale Euro MP Liz Lynne, who helped negotiate the text of the compromise amendment to exclude agriculture and forestry and with the NFU led a frantic week of cross-party lobbying, hailed it is "a victory for common sense."

The draft EU Vibrations Directive would have restricted drivers' hours to under four a day and would have caused massive problems and expense for most farmers.

"It would have been crazy to force thousands out of business for no good reason," Mrs Lynn said.

James Walton, chairman of Warwickshire NFU, said: "We are obviously pleased and relieved to see that this absurd piece of legislation has been thwarted. It is amazing it got so far."