TyreSafe launches van tyre safety campaign

TyreSafe launched a new van tyre safety campaign at its annual briefing at St George’s Park, home of the National Football Centre, on Thursday 18 July.

So why focus on van tyre safety? There are now more than 4 million vans on Britain’s roads, 60 per cent more than in 2000 and these clock up over a billion miles a week. The increase in van numbers is largely due to a changing retail economy that buys more than ever online. And it is trend that is here for the foreseeable future. According to the SMMT, they deliver £56 billion in wages to the UK economy. And then there are the existing, more traditional van-based businesses and services. But the point is that, whether a mobile workshop, business, courier’s workhorse or delivery wagon, vans place high demands on their tyres.

That’s why TyreSafe is reminding their drivers ‘Britain works on tyres’ and the need for them to ensure they conduct regular checks and consider how much load is being carried and avoid overloading. Overloading is the most common offence identified at DVSA roadside checks and can get result in fines of over £800. Overloading also accounts for 70 per cent of prohibitions on LCVs – removing vans from the road. And, of course, this all has an impact on tyre safety – if the van is heavier than it was designed for, it’ll be unstable and puts extra stress on your tyres.

Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “TyreSafe’s annual Briefing has provided the ideal opportunity to engage a wide range of stakeholders directly on the importance of van tyre safety. We’re grateful to the DVSA for sharing its data and case studies with us today and underlining how overloading is far too common on our roads. TyreSafe hopes that by sharing this message with van drivers we can help affect a change in attitude among them to consider their safety, and the safety of others, on the roads as their first priority. Britain Works on Tyres but those tyres need regular maintenance.”