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SHOP TALK
Page 115
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• MAJOR CHANGES in the current tyre laws are to be announced soon following European Community Council Directive 89/459 of 18 July 1989, instructing member states to introduce Legislation requiring tyres for tight vans up to 3.5 tonnes and certain types of trailers (and cars) to have a tread depth in the main grooves of the tread surface of at least 1.6m.
The UK must implement these changes by 1 January 1992 at the latest.
The current situation in the UK is that tyres of all kinds are required to have lmm of tread depth across three quarters of the tread width and visible tread on the remaining one quarter. "The regulation setting out this requirement," says the tyre industry's advisory body — the Tyre Industry Council, formed in June — is complex, difficult to understand and difficult to enforce."
The industry believes that the stricter regulation will make an important contribution to improving road safety.
The tyre market is, of course, dominated by the van and car-derived van sector — projected sales on new car tyres in 1990 are 17,802,000 (plus 4.3m retreads). A survey just announced by the Tyre Industry Council on the condition of replaced tyres produced "appalling" findings, according to National Tyre Distributors Association past president Findlay Picken. Over one in 10 are not replaced until they are positively dangerous. A staggering 11% risk imminent blow-out.
A conference staged to launch the TIC called on the Government to cooperate with the tyre industry to initiate a major tyre awareness campaign.
In 1988 around one million secondhand tyres were imported into the UK — carrying no accident history. Many of those originating in the UK are bought by dealers from breakers' yards.
However, in the truck field we have news of an idea by Michelin to help operators gauge when attention is needed (page 5).
Sales of new truck tyres are expected to rise slightly to 2,114,000 (1,011,000 retread truck tyres) in 1990, • A Tyre Information Bureau is now provided at the TIC office in Elsimore House, Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to give independent advice on tyre matters.
• A heightened awareness all round regarding the need for standards in the body repair industry was evident at the Automotive Trade Show, says Robert Hadfield director of operations at the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association. He raised the subject with Eric Forth, Under-Secretary for Industry and Consumer Affairs. "The minister was very receptive towards the association's action on standards and not unsympathetic to our quest for registered body repair shops," says Hadfield.