It is bad enough that tyres account for almost 15% of MOT failures, with an estimated two in five vehicles on UK roads (39.48%) running on rubber that either breaks the law or barely meets it.
But sparking major trade concern is the rise of part-worn tyre sales, which now capture 10% of the market—equating to some five million units sold annually.
So concerned is the Motor Ombudsman that at the recent UK Garage & Bodyshop Event at Birmingham’s NEC, it launched a new safety initiative called ‘WORN‐WARN’, backed by TyreSafe.
The campaign comes in the wake of a 2000-strong motorist survey revealing that nearly a third (31%) would consider buying part-worn tyres when replacement time comes. Unsurprisingly, nine out of ten (88%) cited cost-of-living pressures stretching family budgets to breaking point as the primary driver. Predictably, those most opting to go down the second-hand road were in the 25-34 age group (47%).
A growing risk on UK roads
Tyres have historically been the soft underbelly of car maintenance. UK motorists not only enjoy some of the most lenient tyre safety regulations in Europe, but often exploit them to the limit.
The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA)’s Tyre Check study of 58,000 vehicles found that 8% were below the legal limit, with the number of "barely legal" tyres almost doubling over the past 25 years.
Meanwhile, figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reveal that the number of defective tyres leading to an MOT failure stands at just over two million.
However, the most alarming statistic is that more than a third of all tyre-related failures (36%) had already been registered as previous advisories—meaning over 750,000 vehicles are potential accidents walking to happen.
Raising awareness
WORN‐WARN is a dedicated online and social media initiative aimed at warning motorists of the dangers of buying used tyres with unknown histories from unscrupulous retailers.
For example, almost half of the motorists questioned did not realise that, legally, a second-hand tyre’s sidewall must have ‘PART WORN’ permanently stamped on it, and it must have a minimum of 2mm of tread left (compared to the 1.6mm legal limit for tyres already on a vehicle). While this has been a legal requirement since 1994, it remains a much-flouted regulation.
Another forgotten factor is the DfT (Department for Transport) code signifying the tyre's manufacturing date, where a maximum ten-year service life is recommended.
The false economy of part-worns
For decades, the trade has tried to convince motorists of the false economy of buying part-worn. TyreSafe points out that, pound-for-pound, a typical used tyre equates to £6.33 per mm of usable tread, compared to £5.32 for a new alternative. Thanks to an explosion of more than 700 brands on sale alongside fierce price competition, new tyres are cheaper in real terms than they were a generation ago.
By way of comparison, a typical 5.60 x 13-inch cross-ply tyre (fitted to the majority of 1970s family cars) cost around £6 in 1970—equivalent to around £84 today. Half a century on, a quick web search unearths a much wider, modern Mondeo-sized 215/60R16 budget brand equivalent on offer for under £50.
Kwik-Fit notes that motorists must be educated on the math, let alone the safety issues.
"A second-hand tyre with 3.5mm of tread has less than 2mm of usable tread to go before it’s illegal," a spokesperson said. "A new tyre with 8mm of tread—around 6.4mm of usable tread—has more than three times as much usable rubber as a typical part-worn."
A gamble not worth taking
Paul Brown, general manager of the tyre division at Motor Ombudsman-accredited Lindleys Autocentres and spokesperson for the ‘WORN-WARN’ campaign, explains the trade's perspective:
“As motorists continue to face increasing financial pressures, it can be tempting to cut back on vital car maintenance. However, spending money on tyres should never be compromised. Buying new at a reputable fitter should always be the first choice regardless of budget, ensuring consumers are not taking a gamble on a tyre’s condition.”
Brown adds that the campaign equips the trade with the right tools to spread the word: “WORN-WARN provides garages and workshops with a brand-new suite of eye-catching assets and tools to help educate motorists on what to look out for when buying and maintaining tyres.”
Stuart Lovett, chair of TyreSafe, hopes the campaign will help motorists make the right choices, "understanding the risks used tyres can bring and ultimately urging them to think twice before cutting corners.”
“Tyres are the most critical safety component on a vehicle and not an area for compromise,” concludes Kwik-Fit. “Second-hand tyres have been taken off another vehicle for one reason or another, and the trouble is we don’t know that reason. While there are clear regulations for the sale of part-worn tyres, numerous investigations over the years have shown that drivers simply cannot be sure they have been properly inspected and re-tested.”
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