Financial pressures make ‘buying cheap’ a temptation for vehicle owners faced with a raft of spiralling expenses, but ATS Euromaster urges motorists not to compromise on tyre safety, especially heading into the more hazardous winter months. This call comes at a time when consumer trends suggest an increasing number of drivers are attempting to save money by opting for part-worn tyres instead of new.
TyreSafe has welcomed the outcomes and initiatives of the “Government response to the consultation to ban tyres aged 10 years or older”. The Department for Transport’s (DfT) response includes legislation banning the fitment of tyres over 10 years of age to the front wheels of lorries, buses and coaches. The ban also extends to all wheels of minibuses unless they have a ‘twin axle’, which means they would have two wheels on each side at the rear.
TireTech has presented an automated solution to grade used tyres for reuse or disposal. The new and already patented, modularly configurable TP1 with Tire Measurement Reporting System (TMRS) can examine up to 400 used car tyres per hour. According to customer specifications it can sort and dispatch these for further application, such as retreading. Brain and Staudinger claim they’ve finally “brought automation to arbitrary, manual car tyre testing.” Click here for more details.
The founder of the Independent Tyre Fitters Alliance has exposed four councils in the North West of England for issuing licenses for taxis fitted with illegal unmarked and unsafe part worn tyres. John Stone, owner of National Tyre Distributors Association member Stone Tyres showed how vehicles with aged part worn tyres could pass the taxi compliance and licensing procedure at each council, raising questions about passenger safety in the North West and UK.
Suffolk Trading Standards has warned consumers to be cautious when purchasing part worn tyres for their vehicles. The warning follows several test purchases in Suffolk that “raised concerns.”
Recent convictions of retailers across the UK highlight the potential risks unsuspecting motorists take when buying part worn tyres. These cases in Scotland and London followed investigations by Trading Standards and TyreSafe into the sale of dangerous and illegal tyres. In each instance, the retailers faced stiff penalties and fines totalling thousands of pounds.
Commenting on road safety statistics showing that tyres cause more than 1000 casualties and 183 deaths a year, TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson lamented the reality that the figures have not gone down during the NTDA Tyre Industry Conference.
Pictures of de-mounted tyres removed from cars at Micheldever retail businesses look more like scrap than tyres taken of road-going vehicles two weeks ago. And this has made some company representatives suggest that the problem of illegal wear is worse than ever.
Investigations by TyreSafe in partnership with Trading Standards over the past five years have revealed a staggering 139 of the 152 part worn outlets visited were selling illegal and unsafe tyres to unsuspecting motorists. That leaves just 13 dealers selling roadworthy tyres from inspections spanning from Scotland to London.
TyreSafe and Trading Standards investigations highlighted that part worn retailers are either ignoring their responsibilities when selling tyres or do not have the required skill to serve motorists properly. During test purchases, some have fitted tyres with water in them to wheels, others have provided the wrong size of tyre, and the supply of examples with nails and other objects embedded in them is all too common.
TecAlliance might be primarily known by many in the trade for its TecDoc electronic parts catalogue and identification system, but the company recently adapted its systems to provide bespoke solutions for German online used tyre retailer Orbix.
Even though there are clear regulations surrounding the sale of part worns, TyreSafe says that investigations it and Trading Standards carry out consistently uncover an alarming number with poor puncture repairs, internal damage and even nails in them. To highlight this sorry state of affairs, the tyre safety organisation has produced a video – welcome to ‘Fit & Hope’ part worn tyre sales. All the tyres featured in Fit & Hope were bought from part worn retailers or seized during TyreSafe and Trading Standards’ joint investigations.
The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has responded to an assertion by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) that “some discussions seem to have recently kicked-off in the UK to study the feasibility of introducing an EPR [extended producer responsibility] regime” following an enquiry by Tyres & Accessories. The TRA states that there have been “no discussions at Federation level” looking into a similar collective scheme approved by national authorities to that implemented by 23 European countries. It adds that it will seek clarification from the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. The 2 May statement accompanied an ETRMA report on the collection and treatment of tyres in European markets.
A consolidated report on used tyres arising in Europe in 2016 shows 94 per cent were collected and treated. In compiling the data, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), consolidated used tyre (UT) management data for 2016 covering 32 countries, including the EU28, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and Turkey.
The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) has announced the introduction of its Responsible Part Worn Tyre programme (RPWTP) at its 2018 forum day at the Belfry Hotel in Wishaw. The programme, introduced and strongly endorsed by Stefan Hay, chief executive of the National Tyre Distributors’ Association (NTDA) at the event, was detailed by Alan Bithell. The RPWTP has been designed with the purpose of raising standards of professionalism in retailers selling part-worn tyres, ensuring all tyres sold by participating retailers are legally compliant.
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has joined forces with a leading independent tyre retailer and TyreSafe highlight illegal part worn tyres.
MTS, Steve Andrews Tyres, based in St Austell, and TyreSafe are working to help shine a light on the world of part worn tyres, with their campaigning efforts taking them all the way to Westminster.
TyreSafe
TireTech