UK minister rules out Winter tyre legislation

ERJ staff report (DS)

London -- In response to a question, Philip Hammond The UK Secretary of State for Transport told the UK Parliament, "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. "

It is possible he was mis-informed and referring to studded tyres -- editor

During a debate in the UK Parliament yesterday over the Winter weather, Gisela Stuart, MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston, asked, "Is the Secretary of State having discussions with car manufacturers and automobile organisations about encouraging people to change over to Winter tyres, as they do on the continent? "

The minister responded, "The use of Winter tyres-snow tyres or even studded tyres-and snow chains is appropriate where people drive for long periods through the winter on compacted snow; it is not appropriate in the situation, as in the UK, where snow is on the ground for relatively short periods."

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

or "winter tre