NTDA launches “Safe Tyre Centre Scheme”, Motorists want to keep safety measures in branches

With the 19 July 2021 relaxation of Covid-19 legislation fast-approaching, some have dubbed next Monday as “freedom day”. However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stressed that the pandemic is not over and in practice the government is passing responsibility for health and safety and social distancing onto businesses and households. With this in mind, the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) commissioned the “Keeping Tyre Centres Safe – Insight Report” and is launching a “Safe Tyre Centre Scheme” in order to help tyre distributors with the challenging choices they face. At the top of the list of difficult decisions is “which (if any) COVID-19 restrictions they will relax in their branches and workshops” after 19 July, as NTDA chief executive Stefan Hay notes in his foreword to the report.

“I commissioned this report because I believe the NTDA’s commitment to keeping tyre technicians, other centre staff and customers safe lies at the heart of what we do as an Association of professionals in the tyre trade”, Stefan Hay explained, adding:

“For example, we continue to campaign for a ban on the sale of dangerous Part Worn Tyres, and our REACT Scheme continues to rapidly grow and has genuinely saved the lives of technicians working at the roadside and will shortly be officially recognised as best practice by Highways England through a new strategic partnership agreement. We are also supporting our colleagues in the Vehicle Recovery industry in their campaign to improve the safety of all roadside workers deployed in often precarious conditions across the strategic road network.”

Motorists want to keep safety measures in branches and so do tyre garages

Source: NTDA

The report presents three key findings: That more than two-thirds of drivers are concerned about Covid-19 restrictions being lifted (this trend was most noticeable in Scotland where the figure was 69 per cent); that the majority “want to see safety measures REMAIN in tyre centres”; and that “63 per cent of the nations’ drivers would be more likely to choose (and 65 per cent more likely to trust) a tyre centre that
continues to enforce safety measures”.

NTDA member businesses are responding in line with the majority of motorists, with no NTDA member intending to remove all is restrictions immediately. Indeed, 31 per cent will not remove any restrictions at all.

89 per cent believe maintaining some social distancing measures will help to reassure their employees post 19 July. And three-quarters of all members have” put their employees’ health and wellbeing as the most important priority once Covid restrictions are removed.

The NTDA commissioned independent research was conducted between 2 and 14 July 2021 and surveyed a sample of 2000 motorists, suggesting it is both up-to-date and representative.