Croydon Council is urging residents to check when they buy second-hand tyres after trading standards visits uncovered illegal sales.
Council officers carried out six covert test purchases in June on a random selection of retailers across the borough, and when tested all six tyres were illegal. Three were dangerous:
• One had a long cut that had damaged the tyre cord, making it a serious safety risk
• A second was severely cracked
• The third was bought for a car but turned out to be a trailer tyre, which would affect driver handling and safety
These three test purchases are now subject to ongoing council investigations, and the tyre retailers in the other three cases received formal warnings.
Overall, London Trading Standards and safety charity TyreSafe inspected 51 tyres that had been purchased between January and June, with 74% failing to meet legal safety standards.
To mark London Trading Standards Week, the council is urging drivers shopping for second-hand tyres to be aware of what is safe and what is illegal.
Second-hand tyres must carry a ‘Part-Worn’ mark next to the E/e approval mark on the tyre sidewalls. For more information about what to look for when shopping for a second-hand tyre, visit the TyreSafe website.
“It is always safer to buy brand-new tyres, but if you do get second-hand ones then it is important you know what to look for.
“If a second-hand tyre is not stamped as part-worn then it isn’t safe to buy, and you should report it to our trading standards team to investigate.”
Councillor Hamida Ali, cabinet member for safer Croydon and communities
London Trading Standards Week is being held from 10-14 September to highlight the work by councils’ trading standards officers, who remove unsafe products from the market, carry out inspections and lead prosecutions. Their work includes dealing with scams and doorstep crimes, second-hand goods, housing and underage sales.
If you are sold a defective part-worn tyre, contact trading.standards@croydon.gov.uk
