New EU regulations on tyres are welcome, FTA states

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has welcomed the introduction of the new EU regulation (1222/2009) that will ensure all new tyres sold in Europe feature a rating certificate for fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise performance.

Similar to the labelling required to highlight the efficiency of household appliances, the new rating system will range from A to G - best to worst - for all areas and provide vehicle operators with a simple guide to these important items.

The introduction of the new ruling has been hailed as the biggest change to how tyres are sold within the eurozone for the last 50 years.

FTA head of engineering Andy Mair said: "The road transport sector in recent years has seen an increasingly focussed approach on tyre selection and maintenance, and commercial fleet managers are well ahead of the game when it comes to specifying tyres for commercial vehicles."

He added that it is likely the new ruling will have a greater impact on the domestic rather than commercial market, but nonetheless, the move is to be welcomed as it makes the choice of which tyres to fit all the more straightforward for all vehicle operators, enabling them to easily compare tyre characteristics before making a purchase.

Earlier this week, UK director at Falken Tyres Matt Smith highlighted the dangers of failing to inspect tyres on a regular basis for fleet operators. Balding tyres can be a significant hazard to road safety and therefore should be avoided at all costs.

He commented: "The question is do you want to be safe or do you want to be legal? You can be legal at 1.6 mm, but there's a clear argument that the tyre performs better at 3 mm of tread - it evacuates more water and has more grip."

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