Danger on our roads
HARD-UP motorists may be risking their lives by buying part-worn tyres.
Our undercover reporters bought 25 used tyres from outlets across the country.
Tests found that not one met legal requirements. Two had potentially fatal flaws, including a nail in the sidewall, and five raised serious safety concerns.
Politicians and campaigners are calling for a clampdown on rogue traders.
CALLS are being made for a clampdown on second-hand tyres after a probe exposed a potentially lethal high street trade.
Our undercover investigators bought 25 part- worn tyres from randomly selected dealers and garages across Scotland and the north of England — and every one was condemned as illegal by two independent experts.
None had markings required by law. But even more worryingly, two were found with dangerous flaws.
These included one with a tear on the side wall, which could cause a blowout. A nail was embedded in another, which could cause a sudden puncture.
A further five tyres had potentially dangerous defects that gave our experts safety concerns.
It’s estimated more than four million second- hand tyres, which come at a fraction of the price of new ones, were sold to cashstrapped motorists in the UK last year.
Trading Standards officers claim they are finding it harder to police the situation as they are hit by swingeing Government cuts.
But leading tyre safety organisation, TyreSafe, is calling for radical action on rogue traders.
“This shows there needs to be tougher enforcement of existing regulations,” said chairman Stuart Jackson.
“Trading Standards aren’t doing their job and they really need to step up their investigation and prosecution.
“You just don’t know what you’re buying when you take on the gamble of a part-worn tyre.
“From The Sunday Post’s sample, the fact none had the necessary markings is a concern but the other faults are accidents waiting to happen.”
Our reporters visited various outlets the length and breadth of Scotland and in northern England.
We asked for a replacement Vauxhall Corsa tyre, size 175/ 65/ 14, or a Renault Clio tyre, size 165/65/14.
Although most of the outlets, which ranged from industrial estate lockups, roadside huts to working garages, offered a fitting service, our team asked for tyres to take away.
Prices ranged between £ 10 and £ 20 but the quality varied dramatically. A reputable dealer said a new version would cost around £48.
It’s not illegal to sell part- worn tyres.
But under the Motor Vehicle Tyres ( Safety) Regulations 1994, which is part of the Consumer Protection Act and enforced by Trading Standards, it is an offence to sell tyres that don’t meet several requirements.
These include being free of large cuts, having a minimum 2mm tread depth and any repairs adhering to strict guidelines.
According to legislation, the words PART WORN must also be permanently and legibly applied in letters at least 4mm high.
Incredibly, none of the 25 tyres we bought had the compulsory marking.
TyreSafe recommended a leading expert from McConechy’s Tyre & Exhaust Centres to run the rule over our haul. We also drafted in the AA’s George Cowan to assist with the probe.
Between them they identified two tyres which had potentially lethal flaws.
One found that a tyre bought by our undercover reporter from Budget Buy Tyres, in Lemington, Newcastle, came with a two- inch spilt in the wall of the tyre.
He warned the defect, invisible to the untrained eye, could cause a blowout.
In another tyre, purchased from Treadz New & Part Worn tyres in Stirling, a nail had punctured the tyre tread near the sidewall.
The dangerous defect could cause a sudden puncture, also rendering the tyre illegal.
A further five tyres gave our experts safety concerns.
In one, bought from a company in Glasgow, Mr Cowan spotted
a series of nicks on the inner rim where it appeared the tyre had been prised off with a lever.
He explained the damage would make it difficult for the tyre to get a good seal, causing loss of pressure.
The AA man also spotted a small tack embedded in the tread of a part- worn tyre bought in Lanarkshire.
He said it was likely to cause a puncture if it worked its way through.
Similarly, McConechy’s expert expressed safety concerns with a tyre bought from a dealer in Tayside.
It had small chunks out of the “bead”, which anchors the tyre to the rim. The problem could cause the tyre to bulge on inflation.
Another tyre, bought in Edinburgh, appeared to be perished around the wall.
McConechy’s expert said the damage could cause bulges and potentially a blowout.
Meanwhile another tyre bought in Glasgow had a damaged sidewall, with a small chunk missing.
Again, although the flaw wasn’t illegal, it was deemed potentially dangerous and could cause bulges.
None of the tyres we had tested conformed with a regulation which says they should be marked as part- worn, meaning they were all illegal to some degree.
There were three other firms who sold the unmarked tyres in Glasgow.
We also approached a company
in East Lothian, one in Forth Valley, another in West Lothian, two dealers in North Lanarkshire, one in Perthshire and one in Stirling.
In the north of England we visited two tyre firms in Newcastle and two more in Cumbria.
Last night Tory MSP Murdo Fraser called for a “get tough” approach.
He said: “If these findings are representative of industry- wide practice then they are concerning.
“In recent years considerable gains have been made in improving road safety, however, unsafe second- hand tyres could undermine these advances. Greater enforcement of the regulations could help whittle down the number of disreputable dealers.”
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Drivers should never compromise on safety by driving on shoddy tyres.”
Colin Baxter, chair of the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland said: “Trading standards officers have carried out several checks on part-worn tyres in the last couple of years, with some garages reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
“However Trading Standards has been hit harder than any other council service in Scotland with resource cuts over recent years.
“This means local services need to target their resources against the highest risk businesses.
“We welcome any evidence that The Sunday Post can supply and our members will take action where appropriate.”