Legislation Against Dangerous Tyres (LADT) update

Ever since her 18 year old son Michael was killed in a coach crash on the A3 in Surrey in September 2012. Liverpool-based Frances Molloy has spent the past four years campaigning for legislation to be passed on the condition and age of tyres. The accident was caused by the explosion of a tyre that was found to be second hand and 19 and a half years old.

In 2014 Molloy was a guest speaker at the Brityrex Show in Manchester, which proved to be a launch pad to take her campaign to the next level. And the latest news is that Legislation Against Dangerous Tyres (LADT), the campaigning body led by Molloy, has now got support from local Liverpool Walton MP, Steve Rotherham. Together they are presenting Legislation Bill 77 to “Introduce limits on the age of tyres on buses and coaches; and for connected purposes.” In effect Frances is demanding that tyre age join tread depth and external condition as part of an annual vehicle check.

Despite meeting then Transport Secretary – Patrick Mcloughlin – in 2013 and despite Bill 77 being introduced and having received its second reading in the Houses of Parliament later in the year, so far there hasn’t been much impact. However, Steve Rotherham MP is reportedly pushing hard for another meeting with the new Transport Secretary – Chris Grayling as soon as possible to take the proposed legislation to a successful conclusion in the future.

The fact that the NTDA has also added additional weight to the campaign by backing a total ban on part-worn tyres at its recent natural conference in Birmingham is also seen as support for Legislation Against Dangerous Tyres.

Molloy commented: “I am absolutely determined to get this Bill through Parliament to ensure nobody else is killed on a coach by an aging dangerous tyre and will campaign ‘as long as it takes’ to be successful as it is now my life’s work….”

“To lose a child whatever the circumstances is a tragic life-changing experience but to learn that a tyre that should not have been fitted to the coach caused the fatal crash is an immense insult to human life. In fact the coach had multiple failings with a spare tyre being 13 and a half years old and the other three were older than 10 years and there is no way I will ever accept the Coroners verdict of ‘Accidental Death’.”