A 2 B MOT Tyre Service
DVSA Has announced tyres over 10 Years Old, irrespective of condition
Would be banned from use on buses and heavy goods vehicles
DVSA has announced that tyres over 10 years old, irrespective of condition would be banned from use on buses and heavy goods vehicles, and more recently saying that there will be a ban on tyres over 10 years old on any axle of minibuses with single wheels fitted or on the front axle of any lorry bus or coach and that it will take effect on 1st February 2021.
With respect to the MOT, the DVSA has announced that, “Minibuses are covered by MOT classes 4 and 5 so the MOT will change to fail tyres over 10 years old on all single wheels of a minibus DVSA have noted that they will be publishing the appropriate changes to the Testers Manual in January. Surprisingly however we’ve also been told this will not apply to any Class 7 vehicles.
However their Matters of Testing blog does provide further more detailed information, noting:
it also applies to some vehicles that fall into the MOT scheme – so vehicles with more than eight passenger seats that are not used commercially – so are not tested as PSVs. These vehicles are tested in MOT classes 4 or 5, so the Test will change for them.
This means failures for tyres over 10 years old on the front axle of any vehicles with 9 or more passenger seats, and any single wheels of a minibus (9-16 passenger seats). These vehicles will also fail if they do not display a legible date code on in-scope tyres.
So, when Testing you will need to check that each tyre displays a date of manufacture or re-treading date on the appropriate vehicle.
This will not add significant additional test time as the tyres are already checked for condition.
It is questionable as to whether or not this will not add significantly to the test time. What if the lettering is indistinct One assumes (hopes?) this will be covered in the Manual changes when they are published.
Although so far DVSA have been silent about it, one also assumes it could apply to large camper vans, which also fall into Class 4 Testing and which may have more than 8 seats, but not necessarily configured like passenger seats in a minibus. Currently, however DVSA have remained silent on that issue.
Irrespective of whether or not the time to taken to both make the assessment as to whether or not the provision applies to the vehicle being Tested, and then to make the visual assessment, and write it up – is not “significant as suggested by DVSA, it is still an extra burden on Testing Stations. Is that acceptable when the fee hasn’t been altered now for decades?