A new law has just been passed to improve the safety of roads in the UK. From the 1st of February 2021, tyres over 10 years old are banned on the front steering axles of buses, lorries and coaches as well as all single wheels of minibuses (9-16 seats).
This new law will be enforced straight away with roadside checks and annual vehicle tests.
What Do You Need to Know?
As of the 1st of February 2021, it is illegal for the front (steering) axle or axles of the following vehicles to have tyres that are older than 10 years old
- Coaches
- Buses
- Goods vehicles with a gross mass of more than 3.5 tonnes
- Minibuses and also to the rear axle, or axles unless equipped with twin wheels
How Will This Be Enforced?
Tyres sold in Great Britain will now need to show proof of their age. Each tyre will have the manufacture date printed on them and this must remain legible for ten years. The date will be shown as a 4-digit number – the first two showing the week number and the last two showing the year. Using a tyre where the date cannot be clearly read will be treated as an offence.
Re-treaded tyres fall under the same requirements but the date of re-treading will be used to determine the age.
Can You Use Old Tyres on Other Axles?
Although it won’t be illegal to use tyres older than ten years on your other axles, it isn’t recommended. Research by the government has found that structural deterioration can happen in older tyres and that this damage isn’t always visible. They recommend keeping regularly updated records and monitoring the health of the tyre.
What Are The Penalties?
It’s worth remembering that it will be an offence to use, cause, or permit the use of tyres over ten years old.
The penalties for this can be any of the following:
- Fines
- Penalty points on your driving license
- Disqualification from driving
- Fixed penalty notices
The biggest fine is a level 5 which is a potentially unlimited fine in England and Wales and capped in Scotland up to £5,000.