Tyres over 10 years old fitted to front axles banned from next February, DVSA warns

The DVSA has reminded drivers and operators of commercial and public service vehicles that tyres aged over 10 years fitted to front-steered axles will be illegal from 1 February 2021.

The new legislation covers England, Scotland and Wales and will affect tyres fitted on the front axle of a goods vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3,500kg.

Frances Molloy was instrumental in the ban through years of tireless campaigning after her son Michael died in a coach crash in 2012 when the vehicle had a 19-year-old tyre fitted to the front axle.

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The Department for Transport announced the ban in July 2020 following a consultation and extensive investigations which indicate ageing tyres suffer corrosion which could cause them to fail.

The DVSA will enforce the legislation at roadside enforcement checks where prohibitions will be used and through the vehicle annual test where affected tyres over 10 years old will become a dangerous test failure item.

MOT tyre requirements for private minibuses, buses and coaches – so those not used as PSVs – will also change and result in an MOT fail for affected tyres over 10 years old.

Traffic Commissioners may also be notified of tyre maintenance issues involving an operator, which could be taken into account in a public inquiry.

The DVSA’s chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said: “This new landmark legislation will help to protect all road users against unsafe vehicles. Drivers, owners and operators are responsible for the safety of their vehicles, so we advise them to start checking the age of their tyres to ensure they’ll meet the new requirements.”