Dangerous second-hand tyre trade needs much tougher regulation

Fitting part-worn tyres is an issue that affects every single road user, because while you might not buy potentially dodgy used tyres, your day could be negatively impacted by someone else who has.

That’s why we want ministers to beef up regulations around the standards expected of part-worn tyre retailers, through an officially backed accreditation scheme for retailers. This would offer consumers a level of quality and service that’s all-too-often missing in the market today, and while it would potentially increase costs to customers a little, it would also greatly improve peace of mind.

Second, we want to see much more proactive intervention from the authorities to prevent offenders ignoring regulations. That means increased monitoring and oversight, and stiffer penalties to clamp down on those who continue to put lives at risk.

Currently, enforcement for part-worn tyre retailers lies in the hands of local authority-funded Trading Standards departments. Cuts to resources mean it’s hard to blame them for our failure to get to grips with an issue that continues to escalate, but a national problem requires a national solution. We propose a greater role for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) under the auspices of the Department for Transport – perhaps an extension of its work ensuring compliance among MoT testing stations, with extra funding.

A spokesperson for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) told us locally run services utilise intelligence from a range of sources, including complaints, to direct resources. “Consumer data and intelligence show that this is not an area where there have been many complaints in comparison to other competing demands,” we were told, but the CTSI also said it encourages anyone with concerns about part-worn tyres to report them.

The DVSA told us it does not currently have powers to take any enforcement action against part-worn tyre suppliers because it is not authorised as a domestic enforcer under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. “However, we work closely with relevant local Trading Standards offices to carry out intelligence-led investigations into the sale of part-worn tyres and to address evidence of non-compliance,” said a spokesperson, adding: “DVSA ensures tyres have basic safety checks as part of inspections through the MoT test and roadside enforcement.”

We also asked Transport Select Committee chair Ruth Cadbury for a view on the issues we’ve raised with ministers. Since the committee hasn’t reported on part-worn tyres, she could only give her personal opinion, and said: “Defective tyres are contributing to a growing number of serious incidents on our roads. Department for Transport data shows that 384 such incidents were recorded in 2023, the highest number in four years. Indeed, 13 people were tragically killed in that year.

“Clamping down on traders selling part-worn tyres that aren’t up to standard would help reduce this alarming rise. It is vital that local-authority Trading Standards teams are equipped with both the expertise and the resources to investigate and help reduce the risk to life or of serious injury.”

We also put our concerns to Andy MacNae, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, and the new chair of the all-party parliamentary group for transport safety (PACTS). He replied: “While there’s a market for part-worn tyres, we have to make sure that those sold are safe and don’t put customers and others on the road at risk. This is something I hope the Government looks seriously at in their upcoming Road Safety Strategy.”

What we are asking for

Auto Express is calling for urgent Government action to limit the dangers associated with drivers buying part-worn tyres, following investigations that have exposed endemic problems in a sector with significant safety implications for all road users.

We’ve written to both Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds calling for an immediate review of the regulations around the sale of part-worn tyres, as the market for used rubber booms.

Cash-strapped drivers are still reeling from the cost-of-living crisis. And as the cost of brand-new tyres soars ever higher, many motorists looking to stay mobile often have little option but to seek back-street traders offering cut-price, and potentially risky, alternatives.

Why can part-worn tyres be dangerous

Lax regulation and often-toothless enforcement leaves buyers of part-worn tyres dicing with danger.

While rules do exist around the condition and quality of part-worn tyres allowed to be sold, there is no requirement for businesses selling part-worns to invest in training or any sort of accreditation, meaning fitters may be ill-equipped to effectively monitor the condition of the tyres on offer. As a result, dangerous tyres are making it back onto the road, with faults such as delamination, cuts and bulges, and dangerous repairs common.

The law says pre-sale inflation tests should be carried out at the tyre manufacturer’s maximum allowable pressure, but are frequently only carried out – if they’re done at all – at the car’s nominated inflation pressure. Markings required by law to indicate that a part-worn tyre has been inspected are often missing.

The evidence suggests that part-worn retailers either don’t understand the requirements they’re meant to operate under, or simply don’t care.

Should part-worn tyres be banned?

In spite of the problems the part-worn market faces, we’re not in favour of an outright ban on sales.

However, it’s difficult to overlook the dangers of poor regulation. Estimates put the number of part-worns sold annually in the UK at between six and eight million, so if even a tiny fraction of those were dangerously faulty, it would amount to a significant risk on the roads.

Consumer information charity TyreSafe tells us its investigations show worrying trends. One of its recent inspection activities showed that 94 per cent of part-worn tyres were being sold illegally, and over 60 per cent were deemed dangerous.

“These figures are consistent with findings from previous years, indicating a persistent problem,” said the charity’s Operations Director, Mike Bourne.

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