Transport minister ‘not persuaded’ about need for tyre age laws

Frances Molloy, who has campaigned for the introduction of tyre aging laws following the death of her teenage son in a coach crash caused by the failure of a 19-year old tyre, says she is determined to keep going despite comments from Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin. The Liverpool Echo writes that Molloy received a letter from McLoughlin today following their meeting last month – in the letter, the minister reportedly states he is” not persuaded” that legislation to restrict the age of tyres is “appropriate at this stage”.

In his letter, McLoughlin refers to a survey his officials conducted on 210 vehicles aged more than ten years old; this found six per cent of tyres to be more than ten years old and three per cent more than 15 years old. And although not persuaded to act, the Secretary of State for Transport writes that he will issue advice on the use of old tyres through the Vehicle Operator and Services Agency (VOSA), and he proposed commissioning yet more research into the subject.

“This just isn’t good enough and he clearly doesn’t have the backbone to show some leadership here on a very serious issue,” Mrs Molloy told the Liverpool Echo. “If there is another fatality then the Government have left themselves extremely vulnerable to litigation and I would be the first person to stand by any other person who loses a relative through an old tyre on a PSV.”

Molloy wants an age limit of ten years for tyres, and says she vows not to give up her campaign. “I’m afraid all he has done in this response is make me up my game,” she commented.