According to Met Office statistics taken over a three-decade period, the UK on average experiences rain on 154 days of the year, and even during May, allegedly our “driest” month, more than 66mm of rain can be expected to fall. It is little surprise then that Kwik-Fit has decided to add Uniroyal to its tyre line-up. Uniroyal tyres, designed with wet conditions in mind, will be available through all Kwik-Fit outlets and through the company’s website.
Auto Windscreens has increased production by 40 per cent at its factory following news of a national shortage of windscreens. The high demand for replacement windscreens at the beginning of the year, following the UK’s worst winter in 30 years, has led to a national shortage of windscreens, reports the automotive glazing services company Auto Windscreens.
According to the company, automotive glazing companies throughout the UK are struggling to get hold of parts leading to long delays for windscreen replacement for vehicle owners, particularly for owners of the Vauxhall Zafira, Astra and Vectra, VW Passat and Golf and Audi A4.
An Exmouth entrepreneur opened a new HiQ centre on 1 May, saying that “Having the backing of HiQ’s national brand is like working with a big brother. The network helps to open doors that you could never open as an independent retailer”. Martin Price, along with business partner Mike Pickering, has become a franchisee with the HiQ network and will now operate a centre in St Andrew’s Road. Price has 17 years experience in the tyre trade. He was recommended to the network by local franchisees Gary Thomson and Justin Roberton, who used to be Price’s area managers when he was a centre manager at HiQ Honiton six years ago. HiQ has stated that it intends to expand its network to 185 sites by the end of the year.
Friends, Romans, motorists, lend me your ears…Tyre technicians at a fast fit centre in Bath have been brushing up on their Shakespeare in a novel celebration of the Bard’s birthday with drivers in the city. Staff at HiQ wrote Shakespeare’s most famous lines on the windscreens of all cars on Friday 23 April – the date widely believed to be Shakespeare’s birthday. And what, you may ask, does Shakespeare have to do with the world of rubber, save his love letter to the black circle, 'Pericles, Prince of Tyre'? It is suggested that HiQ Bath’s forecourt was the ground from which Shakespeare recited his soliloquies in the city.
Europeans’ concern about the spiralling cost of fuel is being exacerbated by the state of motorists’ tyres according to research conducted by Bridgestone. According to the manufacturer, four billion litres – worth approximately £4.6 billion – of fuel are being wasted every year due to the under-inflated tyres of four in every five motorists. This inadequate tyre care does not just affect motorists’ wallets; the wasted fuel equates to 9.3 million tonnes of unnecessary CO2 emissions, and therefore increases the harm to the environment caused by motoring. The findings come from safety checks carried out on 52,400 cars in 15 E.U countries in 2009.
HiQ has commented on European Commission plans for compulsory tyre pressure monitoring systems on new vehicle types form 2012 and all new cars from 2014. Noting safety and reduced fuel consumption benefits, the fast fit network states that the implementation of this legislation provides a “clear signal” that TPMS are important and necessary for consumers. A further benefit, says HiQ, is that the adoption of TPMS will enable a greater number of cars to be fitted with run-flat tyres, which also contribute to increased safety.
Results from 15 European countries where Bridgestone’s “Think Before You Drive” campaign was conducted last year show 81 per cent of motorists to be driving on under-inflated tyres. The tyre maker drew this conclusion after conducting tyre safety checks on some 52,400 vehicles in the UK and on the Continent, and notes that this inattention to correct tyre pressure wastes the annual equivalent of four billion litres of fuel and adds 9.3 million tons of unnecessary CO2 emissions to the air we breathe.
In February the Young Driver programme, which Pirelli is a major sponsor of, received a measure of negative press after the publishing of comments by a Police Federation inspector and a RoSPA representative. Ken Clinton, head of road safety for the RoSPA, went as far as commenting that the scheme “will probably mean youngsters will take fewer lessons when they come to learn to drive, and if they take fewer lessons they will get less experience.” In defence of the scheme, Pirelli has responded that a flood of evidence supports the initiative and the positive impact it will have on reducing the number of road accidents across Britain.
As of April 1 the presence of an E-Mark on tyres became mandatory in Ireland in order for cars to pass the NCT (National Car Test), the Irish MOT equivalent. While the president of the Irish Tyre Industry Association, Dave Naughton, refers to this measure as a “big step forward for road safety”, the association estimates that 50,000 tyres currently fitted to vehicles do not conform to the European standard, and thus thousands of motorists’ cars may not pass their next NCT.
Latest polls indicate Gordon Brown is more than six points ahead – in the vote for Britain’s least desirable pillion passenger, that is. According to a survey carried out by Bridgestone, the current UK Prime Minister is the person motorcycle riders would least want sitting behind them. A total of 33.8 per cent of the more than 1,000 motorcycle riders Bridgestone approached voted for Mr. Brown, pushing Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson into second place. Clarkson, a man seemingly capable of polarising the opinions of an entire nation, is a pillion passenger no-no for 27.4 per cent of respondents. Third-place getter Katie Price raised no eyebrows by making an appearance in this rogues’ gallery of the motorcycling world – 17.8 per cent of those polled by Bridgestone would not share a seat the celebrity formerly known as Jordan.
At the moment coverage is restricted to French roads, yet the ViaMichelin real time traffic information map scheduled to go on sale in May 2010 gives motorists everywhere a taste of services awaiting them around the corner. Information for all of France will be accessible through a total of 22 matrix codes, 21 of which focus on specific cities and one for the whole country.
Pothole damage to Britain’s roads could cost £10 billion and take more than a decade to fix, according to Bridgestone. The tyre manufacturer has reported a 10-fold increase in the number of tyres damaged due to potholes from September 2009 to March this year, compared with the same period 12 months ago.
Bridgestone’s statement follows the worst UK winter weather in 30 years, with heavy snow and ice bringing most of the country to a standstill. The constant freeze-thaw cycle has caused potholes to spring up everywhere. Such craters occur when water gets into the cracks on the road surface. When the water freezes, it causes the crack to expand, opening up the road surface for more water to seep in. A perfect combination of ice and snow, heavy traffic and already poor road conditions leaves us with a slowly eroding road surface and great big holes everywhere.
Television audiences have the chance to pick up useful tips and information on ‘green’ driving techniques and technologies courtesy of Bridgestone and the National Geographic Channel. The tyre major and broadcaster have partnered to produce a mini-documentary series called Drive Green, which Bridgestone says is aimed at inspiring consumers to change the way they drive to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. According to Bridgestone, the series has a potential global audience of 315 million homes.
Michael Schumacher was present at an event at the RACV City Club in Melbourne today, helping Bridgestone show its support for the FIA’s ‘Make Cars Green’ programme, which aims to educate motorists about the measures they can take to ensure their driving is as ecologically conscious as possible. Schumacher used the Bridgestone media event to speak about some of the practical applications of Make Cars Green. “We are delighted to have had Michael with us in Melbourne today to help promote the Make Cars Green program,” said Andrew Moffatt, Bridgestone Australia senior executive director.
The HiQ fast fit network has secured its first partnership with a large UK main car dealership, and the company believes this could pave the way for similar arrangements in the future and form part of the company’s attempts to revolutionise the way that fast fit is delivered to motorists. The partnership will see HiQ operate its services from Ford dealer David Harrison Ltd in Peebles.
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