Police in Dyfed-Powys have told tractor drivers they should pull over, where safe, if there are more than six cars behind them or they risk up to nine points on their licence.

It follows a number of complaints from irate motorists of delays caused by slow-moving agricultural vehicles who have failed to let people pass.

Inspector Mark Davies from the Road Policing unit said: “A number of people have contacted Dyfed-Powys police to complain about this recently, so now is a good time to remind all drivers of tractors and other slow-moving vehicles of the need to comply with the law in respect of driving without due consideration for other road users.

“A few tractor drivers will travel slowly along main roads, towing long, laden trailers and not give other vehicles the opportunity to pass. This causes a long snake of cars behind the tractor. Driver frustration then sets in, making impatient car drivers take extreme risks trying to overtake.

“The police recommendation to slow-moving vehicles is to pull over, where it is safe to do so, and make use of lay-bys, when you have six or more vehicles behind you.”

See more: Tractors on the roads – don’t ignore the road rules

In a statement the police said rule 169 of the Highway Code states you must not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle.

But tractor drivers are also urged not to pull over where there are double solid white lines and would mean passing cars crossing those lines.

Inspector Davies added: “Some staff on farms who drive tractors and slow moving machinery, may be unaware that failure to pull over when you have a long queue of traffic behind you could constitute an offence of inconsiderate driving.

“The offence could earn you three to nine points on your licence and a fine of up to £5,000. We would urge farm owners to ensure that staff are aware of the law and they should pull over where necessary and safe to do so.”

Ben Ellis, regulatory affairs adviser for the NFU, said there were no defined limit on the number of cars that could build up before action might be taken for “inconsiderate driving”.

“There is no set definition of the number of cars behind a tractor, but our advice to members is to try not to let a long queue build up and pull over where it is safe and reasonable.”

Mr Ellis said as rural roads got busier it was inevitable there would be increased friction on the roads. Farmers had to show courtesy to cars but other road users had to accept they might need to be patient, he said.

The guidance has prompted discussion on Twitter. Cheshire farmer Rob Cooke said: “If I pulled over every time the car count got to six, I’d have to stop every 148 metres #roughly.”

Emma, a stockperson from Wiltshire, added that she did try to pull over “but on the ever busier roads you never get back out again.”