Micheldever wholesale director Alan Baldwin virtually declared war on illegal tires recently, with a media campaign designed to generate considerable media interest. This resulted in him undertaking some 13 radio interviews recently reaching more than one million radio listeners in the U.K.

Figures gathered by Micheldever/Protyre through the company’s branch network and involving a check on almost 1,000 vehicles each week paint a picture of tire neglect. Over 53% of all vehicles checked had at least one tire below the legal tread depth minimum of 1.6 mm (2/32nds-inch). Of even greater concern is that almost 96% of vehicle checked had at least one tire with a tread depth below 2 mm.

These figures were collected during the month of September and represent the highest level of illegal and badly worn tires recorded by the company through its national network during the past five years.

As an example of the shift in the level of illegal and badly worn tires the figures recorded in 2008 showed that 15.3% of vehicles have at least one illegal tire and just over 64% had one tire below 2 mm.

“We shall continue to point out the dangers that illegal tires pose to road safety,” said Baldwin, “as well as revealing other equally shocking issues related to tires and road safety including the increasing number of part worn tires coming into the country which must be monitored and motorists protected.” (Tyres & Accessories)