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Should VOSA Call Time on Old Tyres?

Editorial/Comment

The news that Alan Crickmore, a Gloucestershire coroner has written to the Secretary of State for Transport (Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP) calling for a ban on vehicle tyres that are more than 10 years old lends new support to a cause that has been a topic of discussion within the industry for some time. The case Crickmore referred to was the death of Nazma Shaheen, whose Toyota Lucida was travelling northbound along the M5 when a tyre burst and the car clipped a kerb and rolled over, throwing Mrs Shaheen clear of the vehicle on 6 May 2009. Tyre age was said to have precipitated the accident. What stood out for me the first time I read about this case, apart from the tragic circumstances that initially caused the coroner’s involvement, was the fact that this was the first time that a completely non tyre-related party has publically called for an overhaul of the tyre aging rules.

27th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Warns Bikers Tyre ‘Squaring’ Danger

As National Motorcycle Week kicks off, TyreSafe is warning riders that continuous upright riding on fast straight routes can harm their bikes’ tyres. Long journeys on motorways can cause the meeting of the tyre’s sidewall and tread to ‘square-off’, which gives a feeling of loss of grip when the bike is used on winding roads, according to the safety association. Often on long journeys motorcyclists switch from the motorway to fast A- and B-roads, without knowing their bikes’ handling may be compromised.

19th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TRA Calls for Retail Support at Forum Day

The Tyre Recovery Association called on retailers and garages to support efforts to eradicate illegal tyre collection and disposal activities at the association’s annual forum day last week (9 July 2010). More than 65 delegates heard a range of presentations from different industry areas and discussed ways to improve recycling rates and abolish illegal activities.

“This year’s forum proved to be a great success which we hope will act as a catalyst to generate even greater support from within the industry,” Peter Taylor OBE, secretary general of the Tyre Recovery Association commented. “A number of very positive ideas and suggestions were shared which could help the industry significantly. One of the major areas of common consensus was in the support that our retail colleagues can provide. Many felt that retailers should become more aware about their duty of care obligations. This could be achieved in a number of ways such as checking that their collector is registered with the Responsible Recycler Scheme. This type of simple action would help to significantly reduce the number of tyres which continue to be illegally stored, dumped or exported.”

15th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Results of Part Worn Tyre Investigation ‘Extremely Worrying’ – TyreSafe

TyreSafe has reported on the risks associated with buying part worn tyres following revelations from Birmingham City Council that its trading standards officers examined a selection of part worn tyres being sold in the city and found that nine out of ten failed to meet the minimum legal standards. Among the failures uncovered were tyres with embedded nails, illegal tread depth, exposed cords, inadequate markings – and one tyre that was 17 years old. The investigation comes just weeks after TyreSafe found that more than ten per cent of drivers are more likely to buy part worn tyres compared with a year ago.

1st July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Announces Support for Responsible Recycler Scheme

The tyre industry’s Responsible Recycler Scheme now has the support of TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation. TyreSafe states that it hopes to help cut the number of illegal part-worn tyres entering the market and encourage safer worker practices within tyre dealers, garages and workshops.

18th June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Highlights Caravan Tyre Checks Following UK’s Bright Early June

Whether your attitude towards caravans could best be described as “enthusiastic” or “Clarksonesque”, one potential problem for the holiday home on wheels has possibly escaped you: the degradation of its tyres during idle Winter months. With one of the brightest start to Summer since records began, UK safety organisation TyreSafe has taken the opportunity to address the problem, suggesting that caravan owners should pay particular attention to the condition of their tyres before heading off on holiday this year. Since caravans often stand unused for much of the off-season, there is a strong potential for tyre related problems to develop – such as cracking caused by the sun’s UV rays – making them unsafe or dangerous to use. To help owners identify such problems, TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation, has launched a new section on its website at www.tyresafe.org dedicated to caravan tyre safety.

16th June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Birmingham Trading Standards: 90% of Part Worn Tyres are Illegal

Birmingham City Council’s trading standards officers recently found that nine out of ten part worn tyres examined in an inspection failed to meet the minimum legal standards. In response industry body TyreSafe is publicising the results of the investigation in order to raise awareness of what it calls “the high levels of risk associated with buying part worn tyres.”

According to Birmingham City Council’s trading standards officers, tyres which had nails embedded, illegal tread depth, exposed cords, inadequate markings and one tyre which was 17 years old were among the failures. The investigation comes just a few weeks after TyreSafe found that more than one in ten drivers was more likely to buy part worn tyres compared with 12 months ago.

The investigation formed part of an ongoing programme by Birmingham City Council to target sales of part worn tyres. This year was its ninth annual investigation and saw it buy 10 tyres from retailers across the city. Over the course of the entire programme, the team bought and tested more than 190 part worn tyres with 25 per cent found to have “some form of structural defect.” In this year’s survey 30 per cent of tyres had structural failings including illegal tread depth and a nail embedded in the casing while 90 per cent did not have the correct markings required by law, which identify them as a part worn tyre.

3rd June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Publishes Caravan Tyre Safety Advice Online

To coincide with the start of the 10th annual National Camping and Caravanning Week (29 May – 4 June), TyreSafe has launched a new section on its website dedicated to caravan tyre safety. The pages provide a host of technical tips and information aimed at helping to keep the record number of UK caravan owners safe and legal on the roads.

1st June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Warns Bikers of Pothole Threat

TyreSafe has continued its April campaign to promote motorbike tyre safety by reminding bikers that they can reduce some of the problems associated with damaged roads by ensuring their tyres are properly inflated. The increase in the number of potholes on the UK’s roads following the harsh winter has increased the vulnerability of tyres running at incorrect pressures, especially from the angular edges of potholes or kerbstones. This damage can result in dangerous bulges in the sidewall, or cuts that render the tyre illegal.

19th April 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Industry Advises Motorcyclists to Spring Clean Their Machines

Tyre safety body TyreSafe has advised motorcyclists to check the condition of their tyres in order to remain safe. The statements, which were issued separately but both coincide with April’s bike tyre safety month warn of safety issues such as the fact that some bikes can encounter rubber deterioration which can make the tyres unsafe or illegal after a long winter in storage.

“As the only point of contact with the road it’s critical that motorcyclists check that their tyres are in a healthy state before setting off on a ride,” explained Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “At the start of spring this becomes even more important as bikes can sometimes spend several months in storage over the winter. During this time their tyres can suffer from cracking and other forms of deterioration which can impact on the safety of the rider. By giving the tyres a thorough inspection, these problems can be minimised and riders can enjoy a safe return to their bikes.”

7th April 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Offers Puncture Repair Promo for Bike Tyre Safety Month

As part of its ongoing commitment to raising public awareness of tyre safety, TyreSafe is giving away 20 motorcycle tyre puncture repair kits as part of April’s bike tyre safety month. The promotion is open to all new subscribers to TyreSafe’s free monthly e-newsletter during April, with their details entered into the prize draw. Winners will be selected randomly at the end of the month.

1st April 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA: Part Worn Tyre Sales Increase

Sales of “potentially lethal” part worn tyres are on the increase, according to a National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) survey. The report follows earlier research conducted by TyreSafe, tyre industry’s safety body, which said part worn tyres "pose a significant safety hazard to drivers and other road users." The consensus remains that there are around 2 million part worn tyres sold in the UK passenger car replacement tyre market each year.

The 2010 survey reveals that most NTDA members are reporting an increase in the sales of part worn tyres in their area (65%), with the remaining 35 per cent describing the market as 'static'. Only 6 per cent of respondents said that there were no part worn dealers in their vicinity, while 71 per cent said that there were between one and 10 dealers in their area.

29th March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyresafe: More Cars Likely to Run on Part Worns

One in 10 drivers is more likely to buy part worn tyres compared with 12 months ago, according to new research conducted by TyreSafe. In response to the findings the tyre safety group warned that not only are part worn tyres false economy, but they could pose a significant safety hazard to drivers and other road users and “the number of tyre related deaths and accidents on the UK’s roads could be set to rise.” In 2008, illegal, under-inflated or defective tyres contributed to the deaths of 34 drivers and the injuries of more than 900 other motorists.

TyreSafe’s research found that as many as one in six drivers had bought part worn tyres for their car at some point. It also found that younger drivers are much more likely to compared with older drivers. One in five drivers aged between 18-34 said they were more likely to buy part worn tyres compared with 12 months ago, whereas only one in twenty drivers aged over 55 said they were more likely to buy part worns.

23rd March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Bike Tyre Safety Month Campaign Materials Now Available

TyreSafe has made Bike Tyre Safety Month campaign materials freely available to motorcycle dealers, tyre retailers, specialist repairers and motorcycle accessory shops, enabling them to participate in April’s awareness-raising campaign. Bike Tyre Safety Month aims to highlight the importance of correct tyre care and maintenance at this critical time in the motorcycling season.

16th March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Punctures Practice of Replacing Run-Flats with Standard Tyres

TyreSafe has warned motorists that replacing their vehicle’s run-flat tyres with standard tyres could pose a safety hazard. The tyre safety organisation is concerned that attempts to reduce vehicle maintenance costs by selecting tyres which do not incorporate the added technology and features found in run-flat tyre could lead to drivers inadvertently yet significantly changing the handling characteristics of their vehicle, increasing the chance of being involved in an accident.

1st March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors