![TyreSafe welcomes Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership as latest member](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/070114tyr.jpg)
TyreSafe welcomes Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership as latest member
Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership is the latest road safety organisation to become a member of TyreSafe. As such, the Partnership will build upon its successful tyre safety education and awareness work, which was recently recognised and rewarded when the organisation won a ‘safety in the community’ award from TyreSafe.
Continue Reading![Top Pirelli Performance centres get a tour of McLaren](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/McLaren-tour-031212-e1389106765131.jpg)
Top Pirelli Performance centres get a tour of McLaren
Around the end of December Pirelli rewarded its top performing Pirelli Performance Centres (PPCs) with a tour of the McLaren Technology Centre. Each of the top five performing depots in the 2013 retail standard audit won a pair of tickets.
Continue Reading![Car registrations break 2.2 million mark, return to pre-recession levels](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/cars.jpg)
Car registrations break 2.2 million mark, return to pre-recession levels
Car registration figures for 2013 appear to show that consumer confidence is increasing, with 2,264,737 cars registered in 2013, up 10.8 per cent on 2012. This exceeds the SMMT’s 2.25 million forecast for the year and is the highest annual registration total since 2007. December was the 22nd consecutive monthly rise.
Continue Reading![November winter tyre figures point to strong season](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/1146214_36824667.jpg)
November winter tyre figures point to strong season
While Britain has been batter by storms this winter, and while the environment minister announced today (6 January) that some 1700 homes have been flooded this season, it has been relatively warm with much of Britain being buffeted by storms and at the same time experiencing high single-digit temperatures. Tragic for some. Inclement for most. But not the kind of weather that traditionally leads to increased winter tyre sales. Nevertheless, the latest data from market analysts GfK suggests that November sales are significantly up on both the previous month and when compared with the same time last year.
Continue Reading2.6 million vehicles with faulty lights
A study across 10 major UK cities, quoted on the IAAF e-bulletin, revealed that some 10.1 per cent of vehicles checked in were found to have a failed headlight, sidelight, rear or brake-light; a proportion equating to some 2.6 million vehicles on UK roads right now. The scale of the problem is also reflected in MOT failure rates with 1.16 million cars tested in 2012 falling short of required standards because of the condition of their lights.
Continue ReadingUK vehicle production figures released
The latest batch of UK vehicle production statistics covering the month of November 2013 was released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) just before Christmas.
Continue Reading![Pirelli highlighting rallying return at Autosport International](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/np-pirelli-autosport.jpg)
Pirelli highlighting rallying return at Autosport International
At next week’s Autosport International, Pirelli will showcase its new range of FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) tyres ahead of the tyre maker’s return to world rallying. Pirelli will also bring four cars to the show including a McLaren MP4 12C, McLaren’s road-going car which exclusively uses Pirelli tyres as original equipment. Also on display will be a Pirelli-equipped McLaren GT3 to represent the Dutch Supercar Challenge, as well as a Ferrari 458 used in the Ferrari Open and GT Cup Championships – both of which use Pirelli as the championship control tyre supplier. Finally, a Pirelli-equipped Skoda Fabia S2000 that was used to win this year’s European Rally Championship will be on display to mark Pirelli’s return to WRC.
Continue ReadingMotoring’s season of [bad]will
A study by Halfords Autocentres suggests that motoring goodwill has been in short supply this Christmas. The research found that drivers are concerned about the levels of impatient, aggressive and inconsiderate driving – which they say increases at this time of year. Almost a quarter of motorists (23 per cent) who took part in the research said they felt that unfriendly, bad tempered behaviour – such as failing to allow drivers out at junctions, lane hogging and not indicating – is a major issue during the winter months.
Continue ReadingMaxxis to use Autosport appeal to raise Macmillan funds
Maxxis has announced its support for cancer charity Macmillan at the Autosport International show in January. The tyre manufacturer will host motorsport stars, racing cars and bikes, and its own Maxxis Babes team to pull in attendees at the Birmingham NEC. The company has targeted the figure of £500, which it hopes to exceed through calendar sales on the Saturday of the show.
Continue ReadingEU decision means UK MoT Test stays as is
As reported on the e-bulletin of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation, the EU looks set to finalise its requirements for vehicle testing in a format which will allow the UK’s MoT regime to remain in its present form. The agreement follows many months of hard lobbying both in Brussels and here in the UK.
Continue Reading![UK Insa Turbo 4×4 retread sales rising steeply – Micheldever](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/INSA-SAHARA.jpg)
UK Insa Turbo 4×4 retread sales rising steeply – Micheldever
The UK distributor of Spanish 4x4 retread tyre brand Insa Turbo has reported “extremely strong” growth for the product, having increased year-on-year sales by more than a third in 2013. Micheldever (MTS)’s 4x4 specialist division Southam Tyres said unit sales have risen by 36 per cent, as sales director Alan Baldwin suggested several reasons for the brand’s strong performance.
Continue Reading![Return to 1.5 million mark expected for UK car manufacturing in 2013](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/np-aston.jpg)
Return to 1.5 million mark expected for UK car manufacturing in 2013
UK car production rose 4.5 per cent in first 11 months of year to 1,424,023 units, the SMMT reports. This means that output looks set to pass 1.5 million units in 2013, the first time this has occurred in six years.
Continue ReadingNo law change, but DfT publishes tyre age guidance for PSVs
In response to the coroner’s findings following the September 2012 fatal coach crash on the A3 caused by the failure of a 19 year old tyre, on 19 December the Department for Transport and Vehicle and Operator Service Agency released a tyre age recommendation document. The guidance strongly recommends that tyres over ten years old should not be fitted to the front axles of buses and coaches.
Continue Reading![Top independent Grouptyre customers claim New York reward](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Grouptyre-NYC-1.jpg)
Top independent Grouptyre customers claim New York reward
Grouptyre’s top independent customers claimed a trip to New York City in early December as part of the 2013 Grouptyre Rewards programme. The dealers earned a place for themselves and a partner by purchasing volumes of exclusive brands Evergreen, Federal and Goodride tyres from the wholesaler during 2013.
Continue Reading![Micheldever wins training and customer service awards](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/73996mich-TJ-awards.jpg)
Micheldever wins training and customer service awards
Just a week after being named Tyre Retailer of the Year at the TyreSafe Awards, Micheldever Tyre Services Limited and its retail arm Protyre, have picked up two more industry awards. This time for customer service and staff training. Both awards were judged by an independent panel of experts organised by Training Journal magazine. Nominations came from all sectors of UK industry. According to the company, Training Journal is the UK’s leading training publications and their annual awards. The scheme attracts entries from major and international companies and this year submissions were up by 30 per cent.
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