Time To Retire Your Old Tyres?
The
debate about the use of old tyres on larger vehicles has rolled on of
late. We’re close to new laws that will mean the introduction of a
10-year-old tyre law for a wide range of vehicles using UK roads.
The
move comes after several years of lobbying from the Tyred campaign.
This pressure group formed in 2012 in response to a fatal accident
caused by a coach using tyres that were nearly 20 years old. Tyred
have worked hard to influence the Government to implement legal
measures to prevent the use of old tyres on buses, coaches, lorries,
and minibuses.
The
DfT has decided to act and held a public consultation which
concluded on 1st
September. The proposed new framework and supporting guidelines are
wide-ranging in scope. Interestingly part of the opinions being
sought includes whether any old tyre laws should encompass private
hire vehicles and taxis.
Whatever’s decided, it’s estimated that an old tyre ban could be introduced as early as 2020.
Old
Tyres Banned For Safety Reasons
There
are, of course, some obvious reasons for implementing a 10-year-old
tyre law. Older rubber is subject to accelerated wear, potential
tears, punctures and baldness. All these problems make old tyres
particularly risky. These flaws can reduce grip, extend stopping
distances and make them acutely prone to sudden failure. As was seen
in 2012 and as recently as 2017, old tyre failures have caused fatal
accidents.
It’s
clear something needs to change. That’s why when introducing the
consultation Road Safety Minister Michael Ellis commented:
“Our priority is keeping people safe on our roads, and we are taking action to reduce the number of people killed or injured. There is increasing evidence that age affects the safety of tyres, which is why I think older tyres should not be used on large vehicles.’
Time
To Change
The
new laws could prove to be onerous to commercial driving firms and
expected a three-month delay would be put into place for firms to
check their fleets for compliance. This is vital as the new law will
include a requirement that a tyre’s age is clearly visible to
enable ongoing spot checks. Doing this will take some time,
especially for busy delivery firms.
Once the law is in place, there will be hefty fines for companies caught using old tyres on their vehicles. And when you consider that having a single defective tyre could carry a penalty of £2500 and three penalty points, it’s of huge importance that affected haulage and delivery firms make the changes necessary. Failure to do so could cost them dear.
The
Truckcraft Way
Overall,
the team at Truckcraft Bodies are entirely supportive of this move.
We construct our trucks and vans to the highest standards of both
quality and safety to offer a long productive life. We urge owners to
ensure they look after their vehicles' tyres to ensure they are legal
and safe. That way, delivery firms can avoid unnecessary fines
related to 10-year-old tyre laws and be contributing to the safety of
the UK’s roads.
We
doubt few would disagree with that.
For more information on our range of delivery trucks and vans, please contact the Truckcraft Bodies sales team on 0161 304 9404. Alternatively, email glen.pinder@truckcraftbodies.co.uk or emma.jane@truckcraftbodies.co.uk.
Published: Sep 04