PLANS to limit the time that farmers can spend on their tractors, quad bikes and other farm machinery have been met with disbelief by farmers in Cumbria.

The Physical Agents Directive, drawn up by employment and social affairs officials at the European Commission, includes proposal which could limit the amount of time farmers can spend operating vibrating machinery to as little and two hours a day.

"It is just not feasible," said Arnold Lancaster, who farms at Brachenbarrow farm, Coniston.

"If you think about it seriously for a minute, it is absolutely ridiculous.

"You can only make hay while the sun shines," he said, "And that is not very often round here."

Mr Lancaster, who is chairman of Torver Commoners Association, said: "If I get a good sunny day I have to start very early in the morning and I am lucky if I'm finished before it gets dark.

"What am I supposed to do in just two hours, I might cover two acres and make a dozen bales.

"It's totally and utterly ridiculous" he said and warned that it could put farmers out of business if it was introduced in Britain.

Veronica Waller, NFU policy adviser for the North West told the Gazette: "The limits set on vibration could have major implications for agriculture.

"Most agricultural operations exceed this level, to comply with the directive the operator would only be able to work for a reduced number of hours - perhaps as little a two hours.

The regulation if introduced would seriously impede farmers from making a living."

She said that the NFU attempts to win an opt-out for British farmers had succeeded so far.

"We take health and safety very seriously," she said, "but we do not believe there is scientific evidence to justify a Directive on Whole Body Vibration."

Lord Inglewood, North West MEP, said: "It is absolutely bonkers in its current form.

"This is the sort of problem you get coming out of Brussels when people drafting legislation spend their whole time sitting in air-conditioned offices.

They have no conception of the realities of farming in the Lake District.

"Farming round here is sometimes called dodging the showers - you have to make use of what sunshine there is here."

He said he understood why the measures were being proposed, "We cannot have people being shaken to bits on machinery, but this is simply disproportionate."

Lord Inglewood said he supported 100 per cent the NFU's attempts to get a derogation for agriculture and said Britain's conservative MEPs would do their "level best to get some common sense kicked into this."