Tougher tyre laws are rolling closer
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JUNIOR Transport Minister Lynda Chalker last week announced the Department of Transport's intention to introduce tougher laws on the use and manufacture of tyres.
The existing minimum tread depth of 1mm over three quarters of the width will remain but with the additional requirement that the remainder should have some visible tread pattern.
The second new requirement will be that new replacement tyres must meet the same international standards as original tyres fitted to new cars, that is ECE Regulation 30.
Thirdly, the manufacturing standards of retreaded tyres will have to comply with British Standard BSAU 144b, 1977.
Mrs Chalker said: "I am determined to get killer tyres off our roads, and I am concerned about increasing numbers of tyres being imported which are not suitable for use on cars."
The DTp will now discuss the proposed amendments with the tyre manufacturing industry so that details can be prepared for public consultation about the middle of this year.
Already there has been a response from the National Tyre Distributors Association. It welcomes in principle the second and third proposals, but considers that the slight change to the law regarding tread depth "is insufficient and will not materially help to promote road safety in relation to tyres." The NTDA supports the view held by a number of other organisations and some tyre manufacturers that an increased legal minimum tread depth across the whole width of the tyre to at least 1.6mm is needed. But the arguments in favour of this have never been universally accepted as valid, as CM's Bill Brock made clear in his articles of September 19 and November 21, last year.