Micheldever: more than half of cars on illegal tyres

Micheldever Tyre Services reports that tyre industry records were being broken in September, but in the worst possible manner for the safety of the British motoring public. Instead of reporting that more and better quality tyres are being sold as you might expect, the tyre wholesaler reports that retail depots are changing tyres in a worse state than ever.

According to Alan Baldwin, MTS wholesale director, the statistics compiled by the company based on the measurement of almost 1000 vehicles/week over the past 5 years are “terrifying.”  53.1 per cent of all vehicles measured have at least one illegal tyre and 95.8 per cent have at least one tyre below 2mm. 

The September result was a new record high and when you compare to the pre-recession 2008 result of 15.3 per cent illegal and 64.2 per cent below 2mm it puts the market movement into context.  MTS reports that it measures some 50,000 vehicles per year.

As a result of the results Micheldever representatives are asking: Does the industry realise that lack of tread law enforcement probably loses the UK tyre market up to 3 million new tyre units per annum? Alan Baldwin went on to state that the situation is reported to be very similar all around the country and that the level of tyre law policing within the UK is a “disgrace” compared to the Spanish market for example. A recent trip here reported revealed that, despite an economy experiencing very tough times with a 25 per cent rate of unemployment, the retail stores of Spain’s top retailer Pneumaticos Soleidad  were found to have virtually no demounted casings under 1.6mm.

“Is the UK the worst policed tyre market in Europe? Considering the facts above, and adding the horrendous levels of illegally sold part worn tyres, it would be difficult to disagree,” Baldwin asked.