Rising tyre wear found
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• Illegal tyres were the most prominent defect found in a recent spot-check on the Essex approach to the M25 Dartford River Crossing. Out of 114 vehicles checked by vehicle examiners, 10 were issued with immediate prohibitions, 13 with delayed and two with vehicle defect notices.
Frank Ashurst, the Vehicle Inspecorate's eastern group manager, says many of the tyres were just below the legal limit. "There were rather more than we've seen before and they were also on Continental vehicles."
He says it is indicative of a national fall in maintenance standards which the VI has detected over the past 12 months.
Six immediate prohibitions were issued on Dutch, Irish, Spanish and German vehicles, two for failing to take weekly rest, two for failing to take daily rest, one for two defective tyres on an artic combination and one for exceeding the 1 0-hour daily driving limit.
Fifty-four reports of a range of offences are being processed for verfication and possible prosecution.
Of 172 vehicles seen by Customs at the spot check, two were running with rebated "red" diesel. Twelve of 24 trucks weighed by trading standards were overweight: three — one more than three tonnes over the limit — were prohibited on the spot.
The Dartford crossing is one of few sites on the M25 where such a check can be conducted on vehicles without compromis
ing traffic safety. There is also no obvious alternative route for drivers to take to avoid the check.
The VI's co-ordinator for the check, Roger Cordey, says it was confined to vehicles which appeared to break the law. "The bona fide operator has nothing to fear from these checks", he says.