NTDA: Part Worn Tyre Sales Increase
Sales of “potentially lethal” part worn tyres are on the increase, according to a National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) survey. The report follows earlier research conducted by TyreSafe, tyre industry’s safety body, which said part worn tyres "pose a significant safety hazard to drivers and other road users." The consensus remains that there are around 2 million part worn tyres sold in the UK passenger car replacement tyre market each year.
The 2010 survey reveals that most NTDA members are reporting an increase in the sales of part worn tyres in their area (65%), with the remaining 35 per cent describing the market as 'static'. Only 6 per cent of respondents said that there were no part worn dealers in their vicinity, while 71 per cent said that there were between one and 10 dealers in their area.
Richard Edy, director of the NTDA, commented: “Our survey indicates that part worn tyres continue to claim a significant section of the replacement tyre market and this is a cause for concern as the strict legislation surrounding the sale of these tyres is not being complied with and the authorities are not enforcing the law.”
According to the NTDA, the potential problem with part worn tyres is that the purchaser is unaware of their history; some may come from vehicles written off in an accident, some are imported from mainland Europe and, says the association, “without a thorough x-ray examination, it is impossible to identify possible internal damage.”
There are numerous regulations concerning the sale of part worn tyres, regarding tread depth (at least 2mm), inspection, repairs and marking. However, surveys by various Trading Standards Offices routinely show that the vast majority of part worn tyres on sale are illegal.
Commented Richard Edy: “Regulations exist to ensure that any part worn tyre sold in the UK should be safe. Sadly, the majority of part worn dealers do not comply with legislation. The maximum penalty for this is £5,000 or six months’ imprisonment but, more importantly, these people are putting the lives of motorists at risk.”
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