Tire legislation campaigner Frances Molloy told Brityrex International 2014 attendees she will continue her campaign until the British government introduces legislation to restrict the fitment of old tires on public service vehicles.
Brityrex is taking place Oct. 7-9 at EventCity, Manchester, England.
Molloy’s presentation is part of the event’s Tyre Talk seminars covering key business issues affecting tire retailers, wholesalers and fast-fit service providers.
Molloy, who is lobbying the British government to change the law on the fitment of over-age tyres, described the secretary of State for transport’s response to the issue as “weak and lacking in leadership.”
In Sept. 2012, Molloy’s 18-year old son Michael was killed in a coach crash in Surrey caused by a blowout of a second-hand 19.5 year old tire. Michael died along with a fellow passenger and the driver.
Molloy’s proposal would see tires aged over six years old and fitted to buses, coaches and minbuses, failed by government inspectors. She also believes that tires aged over 10 years for these fitments should be scrapped.
According to the trade show’s organizer, SingEx-ECI International Pte Ltd., other speakers and topics on Oct. 8 were:
* Matt Eglinton of the National Measurement Office, the market surveillance agency responsible for EU tire labelling legislation, who discussed monetary savings realized if motorists moving from a tire graded as F in the fuel efficiency category to a B graded tire;
* Paul Keay, enforcement campaigns manager for the Environment Agency, who spoke about issues surrounding illegal tire disposal;
* Prashant Chopra, managing director of Autogem, who explained how tire and fast-fit retailers can identify and take advantage of the rapidly developing market for tire pressure monitoring systems servicing and repair; and
* Dr. Andrew Pryce, managing director of Sigmavision, who covered the latest developments for tire measurement and management.
