DVSA is reminding drivers and operators of commercial and public service vehicles that tyres aged over 10 years fitted to the front-steered axles and all single wheels of minibuses (9 to 16 passenger seats) will be illegal from 1 February 2021.

The new legislation covers England, Scotland and Wales and will affect tyres fitted on the:

• Front axle of a goods vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3,500kg, a bus, coach or minibus
• Rear axle of a minibus with single rear wheels fitted.

The Department for Transport announced the ban in July 2020 following a consultation and extensive investigations which indicate ageing tyres suffer corrosion which could cause them to fail.

DVSA will enforce the legislation at roadside enforcement checks where prohibitions will be used and through the vehicle annual test where affected tyres over 10 years old will become a dangerous test failure item.

MOT tyre requirements for private minibuses, buses and coaches – so those not used as public service vehicles – will also change and result in an MOT fail for affected tyres over 10 years old.

The legislation requires that the tyre’s date marking must be clearly legible and a re-treaded tyre will be assessed in the same way as a new tyre and its age calculated from the date it was re-treaded.

DVSA also notes that where tyres more than 10 years old are legally used on other wheel positions, their age should be recorded and a specific risk assessment completed that considers the distance, speed and loading conditions that the vehicle will operate under (for example, operating only in urban areas).

Traffic Commissioners may also be notified of tyre maintenance issues involving an operator, which could be taken into account in a public inquiry.

DVSA’s chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said: “This new landmark legislation will help to protect all road users against unsafe vehicles.

“Drivers, owners and operators are responsible for the safety of their vehicles, so we advise them to start checking the age of their tyres to ensure they’ll meet the new requirements.”

The new legislation covers England, Scotland and Wales and will affect tyres fitted on the:

• Front axle of a goods vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3,500kg, a bus, coach or minibus
• Rear axle of a minibus with single rear wheels fitted.

The Department for Transport announced the ban in July 2020 following a consultation and extensive investigations which indicate ageing tyres suffer corrosion which could cause them to fail.

DVSA will enforce the legislation at roadside enforcement checks where prohibitions will be used and through the vehicle annual test where affected tyres over 10 years old will become a dangerous test failure item.

MOT tyre requirements for private minibuses, buses and coaches – so those not used as public service vehicles – will also change and result in an MOT fail for affected tyres over 10 years old.

The legislation requires that the tyre’s date marking must be clearly legible and a re-treaded tyre will be assessed in the same way as a new tyre and its age calculated from the date it was re-treaded.

DVSA also notes that where tyres more than 10 years old are legally used on other wheel positions, their age should be recorded and a specific risk assessment completed that considers the distance, speed and loading conditions that the vehicle will operate under (for example, operating only in urban areas).

Traffic Commissioners may also be notified of tyre maintenance issues involving an operator, which could be taken into account in a public inquiry.

DVSA’s chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said: “This new landmark legislation will help to protect all road users against unsafe vehicles.

“Drivers, owners and operators are responsible for the safety of their vehicles, so we advise them to start checking the age of their tyres to ensure they’ll meet the new requirements.”