04/03/2019 - Tyre legislation welcome but could go further, says coach firm
Lucketts responds to DfT consultation on old tyre ban
The Lucketts Group welcomes the news that coaches could soon be banned from having tyres 10 years or older, however it feels that legislation could go further.
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced last week that it will consult on plans to ban tyres 10 years or older. It follows years of campaigning from Frances Molloy, whose son, Michael, died in a coach crash on the A3 when a 19-year-old tyre blew out.
Tony Lawman, Managing Director of Hampshire-headquartered Lucketts, said: “News of the consultation is a positive step and we fully support it, however, we feel that any proposed legislation should go a step further and outlaw the fitting or retreading of tyres that are five or more years old, as they do in the US. Coaches clock up significant mileage in a short amount of time so keeping a close eye on their tyre health is absolutely vital.”
Glenn Sherwood, Chairman of Tructyre, which provides tyres for Lucketts’ entire fleet, echoed: “Companies like Lucketts go over and above what’s expected when it comes to safety but sadly that’s not the case for every coach firm. Legislation is needed to ensure consistency across the industry.”
Tony added: “We’re already operating well within the tolerances of the even tighter US legislation which ensures that ‘no tyre can be fitted on a commercial vehicle or re-treaded that’s five years old plus’. We’d like to see the entire industry step up and do the same. The death of Michael Molloy was a tragedy that might have been avoided. We must all work together to raise the bar for safety and compliance.”
Lucketts only uses new premium tyres, which are advanced ordered from the factory so that in most cases they are just days old. In addition, the company insists on new premium tyres on all of its new vehicles and never uses re-treaded tyres.
The company is a founding member of the DVSA’s Earned Recognition Scheme and puts such an emphasis on safety that all of its vehicles are maintained in-house by a team of coach mechanical experts.
To find out more call Lucketts on 01329 823755 or visit www.lucketts.co.uk