Vans should be included in government plans to tighten tyre safety standards, alongside lorries, buses and minibuses.
So says the Freight Transport Association (FTA) after the Department for Transport opened a 10-week consultation on the plans earlier this week.
Intended to help reduce the number of people killed or injured, the new laws banning older tyres on large vehicles could be introduced later this year and would see tyres aged 10 years and older banned from use on buses, coaches, lorries and minibuses. The consultation also asks whether this ban should be extended to taxis and private hire vehicles.
The consultation follows a campaign by Frances Molloy, whose son Michael died in a coach crash caused by a 19-year-old tyre in 2012.
Road Safety Minister Michael Ellis said: “There is increasing evidence that age affects the safety of tyres, which is why I think older tyres should not be used on large vehicles.
“I would like to thank Frances Molloy and the Tyred campaign for their work raising this important issue – the changes we are consulting on could save lives.”
However James Firth, FTA’s head of road freight regulation policy, has said the proposal should be extended to cover commercial vans too.
“With more than 4.2 million of these vehicles on our roads, van operators must be held against the same compliance and safety standards as any other commercial vehicle. FTA is committed to ensuring the highest safety standards are met across the logistics industry; we want to see a strong enforcement effort against all vehicles which may compromise road safety, including caravans and trailers.”
