UK tyre industry attacks Transport Minister for misinformation

ERJ staff report (DS)

London -- Following the revelation that UK Transport Minister, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP does not know the difference between studded tyres and Winter tyres, the UK tyre industry has risen up to complain about his lack of understanding and the potential impact on road safety.

On Thursday of last week, responding to a question during a Parliamentary debate, Hammond said, "Winter tyres wear out very quickly on normal road surfaces and cause significant damage to those surfaces, so they would not be appropriate in the UK situation."

TyreSafe, the UK tyre industry lobby issued a statement saying, “Mr Hammond's comments show a complete lack of understanding about modern winter tyres which are the ideal solution to the type of weather we are currently experiencing,” explains Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “Studless winter tyres are designed to provide much better grip over the entire winter period, not just for when people are driving for long periods on compacted snow as he implied. They do not damage road surfaces in any way and are wholly appropriate for the UK situation.”

Tests conducted by the British Tyre Manufacturers Association found that a car braking at 60mph on a wet road at five degrees Celsius stopped five metres shorter, equivalent to more than one car length, when fitted with winter weather tyres. On ice and snow covered roads the difference was even more remarkable. The car equipped with winter tyres stopped 11 metres sooner on ice and eight metres sooner on snow, from just 20mph.

Continental issued a statement saying, "Philip Hammond is unfortunately ill-informed about winter tyres and his statement is factually incorrect. " The statement continued, "There is also absolutely no issue about modern winter tyres wearing quickly on normal road surfaces, in fact, summer tyres will wear quicker during the winter than the winter compound specifically made for those conditions. Neither do winter tyres damage road surfaces - there is nothing on the tyres that could damage the surfaces as they are made of rubber. Mr Hammond is confusing winter tyres with studded tyres common in Sweden, Finland and Norway."

Guy Frobisher director of Marketing for Continental UK said if the UK could ever convert to Winter tyres, now is the moment to promote the improved safety they offer to motorists and other road users. Historically, sales of Winter tyres are around 100 000 units per year in the UK, but Frobisher said that could increase to 300 000 this year. The total market for tyres is around 33 million units per year.

Frobisher said delivery fleets such as Ocado have fitted winter tyres to their vehisles, and that has permitted them to continue deliveries in the weinter weather. He added that corporate fleets also have a duty of care to their employees. Winter tyres are demonstrably safer than summer tyres in ice, snow and cold weather.

This year, he noted, retail outlets in the UK have promoted Winter tyres. This combined with severe snow in January, February, November and December this year has triggered a wave of awareness among drivers of the benefits of Winter tyres. It is especially unfortunate, noted Frobisher, that Mr Hammond's comments emerged just as this momentum was building.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Mr Hammond's comments from Parliament website (search on 'Gisela' or 'winter tyres')

Statement from Continental

Statement from Tyresafe

Winter tyre guidance from Tyresafe