The eight-year campaign to drive age-compromised tyres from UK roads reached its conclusion today, with amendments to Construction and Use Regulations now prohibiting the use of tyres more than ten years old on the front steered axles of lorries, buses, coaches or on any minibus single wheel axle.
Less than two weeks before the new 10-year-old tyre ban takes effect and two weeks after DVSA updated its definition of the rules, the Department for Transport (DfT) has released new guidance on how to understand the legislation as well as a summary of the corresponding penalties.
The British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association has welcomed new legislation to enforce the tyre labelling regulation from 1 January using civil sanctions. The Department for Transport (DfT) appointed the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Compliance Unit as enforcement authority earlier in 2020, replacing the National Measurement Office. To date, the DfT has conducted 68 “mystery shopper” visits, finding 78 per cent of tyre retailers were not compliant with the requirement to provide the labelling information.
On 26 October 2020, The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 statutory instrument was made. Three days later it was laid before Parliament. It comes into force on 1 February 2021. As a result, 10 year-old and older commercial vehicle tyres will be illegal in the UK from the 1 February 2021. And therefore, the Tyred campaign to ban old and dangerous tyres led by Frances Molloy has achieved a key goal.
On 7 August the government shared some results from its recent type approval consultation. That four-week consultation period came to an end on 26 June 2020 and sought views from across the automotive industry relating to what statutory instrument should supersede European type approval Regulation (EU) 2018/858, which covers new vehicle safety. The result? Low performing car tyres and van tyres will be illegal from 1 May 2021. The government type approval consultation supports 30-month grace period for running down such stocks. And OBD ports will remain open for independent garages to access repair and maintenance information.
The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) welcomed the news that 10-year-old truck and bus tyres will be banned. Speaking personally and on behalf of the association, chief executive Stefan Hay said:
Following the announcement that tyres aged 10 years and older will be banned from lorries, buses and coaches on roads in England, Scotland and Wales, campaign group Tyred – which led efforts to achieve a ban – has welcomed the news as “a positive step forward”. However, the group also warned of twin tyre fitment configuration loophole.
Together, the increased utilisation of independent contractors on the supply side and record online search figures on the demand side show that MOT testing is booming. Considering that MOTs were put on hold for roughly four-and-a-half months between March and August (let’s not even mention the Northern Ireland MOT crisis), this is good news. Word of a coming MOT spike will be warmly welcomed by the tyre and aftermarket associations that lobbied government for the end of the MOT extension on both road safety and economic grounds. But what exactly does the apparent boom look like? And why does it matter to the tyre trade?
Steve Nash, CEO of The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has welcomed the return of mandatory MOT testing from 1 August. “The exemption from mandatory MOT testing announced at the end of March made sense at that time. But our sector moved very quickly to ensure it could work safely and support motorists during the lockdown,” he said.
Following the news that the MOT test will be reinstated from 1 August following a coronavirus-induced hiatus, NTDA chief executive expressed delight that the government listened to the tyre trade:
The government’s decision to end the six-month MOT extension on 1 August has been welcomed by the Independent Garage Association and the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA). Stuart James, IGA chief executive comments: We thank the Government for listening to our views. The news will give clarity to garages and allow them to plan for the busy period ahead.
Mandatory MOT tests for car, motorcycle and van owners in England, Scotland and Wales are being reintroduced from 1 August 2020.
Vehicle owners with an MOT due date before 1 August will still receive a 6-month exemption Roads Minister Baroness Vere has announced today (Monday 29th June). Crucially, people are able to voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement. The news follows reports last week that the government has been consulting trade and industry about ending the MOT extension.
Following reports at the end of June that the UK government is consulting on current and forthcoming tyre legislation, it is worth taking a closer look and clarifying exactly what rules are passing through the labyrinths of legislative bureaucracy. In short, there are three strands of UK tyre legislation on the table at the moment: minimum standards legislation; current tyre labelling legislation; and forthcoming tyre labelling legislation. Taken together they will likely bring with them the largely unannounced consequence of having both old and new tyre labels in the market at the same time, for a while at least.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is urging the Government to remove the six-month MOT extension with immediate effect, following the Prime Minister’s announcement that further social distancing measures will be relaxed from 4 July.
Further to our reports earlier today, the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has shared details of the government’s ongoing consultation with aftermarket trade bodies relating to the cancellation of lockdown MOT relaxation rules.
To this end, the DVSA has sent out a consultation document which includes three options to allow vehicle owners a period of grace during which they can obtain an MOT prior to the cessation of exemptions. This would not affect vehicles already covered by an exemption.
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