New laws banning older tyres on large vehicles to improve road
safety could be introduced later this year. Tyres aged 10 years
and older would be banned from use on buses, coaches, lorries and
minibuses in
new proposals being
consulted on from today (23 June 2019). If supported, the new
rules could be in force by early 2020.
The consultation follows a passionate campaign by Frances Molloy,
whose son Michael died in a coach crash caused by a 19-year-old
tyre in 2012. Her work with the ‘Tyred’ campaign led to
the consultation being launched today.
Road Safety Minister said:
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.
I would like to thank Frances Molloy and the Tyred campaign for
their work raising this important issue – the changes we are
consulting on could save lives.
The consultation, which runs for 10 weeks, asks whether older
tyres should be banned on buses, coaches, lorries and minibuses
as well as whether this ban should be extended to taxis and
private hire vehicles. It follows other measures the government
has put into place since 2012.
Bus operators have been advised not to use older tyres at the
front of their vehicles. Inspections of 130,000 buses by the
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency since 2017 showed only 0.06
per cent were in breach of the guidance.
The DVSA also
updated its guidance on maintaining roadworthiness to say tyres
aged 10 years and older should not be used on the front axles of
heavy goods vehicles, as well as buses and coaches.
A growing body of evidence includes research, commissioned by
the Department for Transport and published last week, which
shows ageing tyres suffer corrosion which could cause them to
fail.
The evidence also includes reports from two fatal crashes – one
involving a coach on the A3 in 2012, and another on the M5 in
2017, involving a heavy goods vehicle.
The consultation follows continued work to establish the impact
of age on tyre performance. Today’s consultation comes ahead of a
refreshed Road Safety Statement and two-year action plan, which
will be published shortly.
