Enforcement of the European s-mark legislation that took effect in October 2009 is set to begin in the UK on 23 March. From this date onwards anyone selling tyres not in compliance with Directive 2001/43 (in other words non s-marked tyres) will be subject to the consequences of a statutory instrument signed off by Department for Transport minister Sadiq Khan on 10 February. BTMA chief executive, Graham Willson, told Tyres & Accessories that this approved text will now be laid before parliament and, unless there is an adverse reaction from parliament – something that is considered unlikely, the statutory instrument completing the implementation of directive 2001/43 will become effective on 23 March 2010.

Some industry observers see the time before this as the last chance saloon for anyone who has been clearing stocks of non-compliant tyres, with the Vehicle Certification Agency and Trading Standards are expected to be vigorously enforcing the new law, with penalty fines of up to £5,000 a tyre for those caught selling non-compliant products after 23 March.