Tyres aged 10-years and older will be banned from lorries, buses and coaches on roads in England, Scotland and Wales in a boost to road safety, UK roads minister Baroness Vere has announced.
The ban follows an investigation, including research commissioned by the Department for Transport, that indicates ageing tyres suffer corrosion, which could cause them to fail.
The move will make it illegal to fit tyres aged 10-years or older to the front wheels of lorries, buses and coaches, and all wheels of minibuses.
The secondary legislation will be laid in the autumn and will also apply to re-treaded tyres – with the date of re-treading to be marked – making the age of the tyre clearly visible.
Baroness Vere said: “In the same way that you wouldn’t drive a car with faulty brakes, ensuring your tyres are fit for purpose is crucial in making every journey safer.
“Taking this step will give drivers across the country confidence their lorries, buses and coaches are truly fit for use – a safety boost for road users everywhere.”
Drivers, owners and operators will be responsible for ensuring vehicle tyres meet the new requirements.
The government will also ask DVSA to continue checking tyre age as part of its routine roadside enforcement activities and adding an additional assessment to the annual MOT test.
Read more from CiTTi
https://www.cittimagazine.co.uk/tyre-wear-pollution-greater-than-exhaust-emissions-finds-test/
https://www.cittimagazine.co.uk/taking-a-fresh-look-at-wheel-security/
