New research, carried out by leading automotive outfit Select Car Leasing, showed that the number of “defective” tyres offences has risen over the past four years in contrast with 2016-2019. The CU30 penalty is one of a handful that gives a good indication of ‘Banger Britain’ – the number of UK motorists driving around in unsafe vehicles.
And while the other two categories – defective brakes and vehicles in a “dangerous condition” – have seen a reduction since the last review in 2019, the vital message about having suitable rubber simply isn’t getting through, the experts said.
There were 33,442 defective tyres offences over the past four years, up from 31,281 between 2016 and 2019.
London leads the list of cities with the worst offenders across all three categories with around five times as many as anywhere else.
But some other towns and cities are also in the spotlight – with Birmingham and Bradford both featuring high up in all three categories.
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Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing which obtained the DVLA data via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, said: “While it’s encouraging to see falls in the number of drivers prosecuted for having dodgy brakes and cars in a dangerous condition, the amount of people still being caught with poor tyres is astounding.
“The deadly effect of having worn or damaged tyres is widely known, while road safety charities and government agencies produce numerous hard-hitting campaigns to highlight the issue.
“More than 1,600 people were killed and a further 26,000 seriously injured on UK roads last year, many of those related to dangerous tyres.
“But still the message about carrying out regular checks and replacing tyres when they show signs of wear and tear is not getting through.”
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Of the 33,442 CU30 offences recorded by the DVLA between January 1, 2019, and October 15 this year, London was top of the list with 3,255.
Liverpool (633), Leeds (562), Bradford (502) and Birmingham (469) made up the top five of dodgy tyres hotspots, while Glasgow (447), Ilford in East London (325), Manchester (313), Bristol (280) and Sheffield (269) completed the top 10.
For defective brakes – the CU10 offence – there was a decrease from 5,613 between 2016 and 2019 to 3,614 from 2019 to this year.
Meanwhile, CU20 misdemeanours – “unsuitable vehicle dangerous condition” – fell from 5,911 in 2016-2019 to 4,413 over the past four years.
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According to the law, all tyres must have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm in a continuous band around the central three quarters of the tyre. They must also be in good condition, free from cuts, cracks or bulges.
Anyone caught with unsuitable tyres faces three points on their licence and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre, while the penalty for heavy goods vehicles or those adapted to carry more than eight people is up to £5,000.
Signs of a defective braking system include abnormal sounds, vibration in the steering when coming to a stop, taking too long to stop and smoking wheels.
Those ignoring the law will get three points and a fine of up to £2,500 or £5,000.
The same penalties apply to motorists with unsuitable or dangerous vehicles, which could include factors such as a faulty exhaust.
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