NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Trading Standards mounted an operation last week on part-worn tyre dealers, following a number of complaints from the public.
Around half a dozen outlets were targeted by an officer posing as a member of the public with a single wheel rim that needed a cheap tyre.
Amazingly, none of the tyres met the standard laid down for part-worn tyres, as none of them carried a mark identifying them as such. More seriously, a tyre expert discovered that two of the tyres were not the correct width for the rim and one unit had a ‘botched temporary repair’ which made it potentially unsafe. Additionally, two of the tyres were not balanced on the rim.
Councillor Mick Murphy, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Nottinghamshire County Council said: "With the cost of motoring increasing it is understandable why there is a greater demand for cheaper tyres but cashing in and costing lives is inexcusable.”
Research by Tyre Safe, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness about tyre safety, suggests that 34% of drivers were using or had used part worn tyres in September 2011 compared to 12% in March 2010. Around 9% of MOT failures are due to defective tyres, according to VOSA statistics.