Ban on tyres over 10 years old on minibuses, buses and coaches

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Posted: 201211
Contributor: Nic Houslip
In July 2020 the UK Department of Transport (DfT) released a news item saying "Tyres aged 10 years and older will be banned from lorries, buses and coaches on roads in England, Scotland and Wales in a boost to road safety". The ban followed an extensive investigation, including research commissioned by the DfT, which indicated ageing tyres suffer corrosion which could cause them to fail. The DfT release added "The move will make it illegal to fit tyres aged 10 years or older to the front wheels of lorries, buses and coaches, and all wheels of minibuses".

This legislation takes effect on 1st February 2021.
See the DVSA Matters of Testing blog


Consultation on tyre age safety concerns
The consultation followed an announcement by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in June 2019 that "new laws banning older tyres on large vehicles to improve road safety could be introduced later that year. Tyres aged 10 years and older would be banned from use on buses, coaches, lorries and minibuses in new proposals in the consultation. If supported, the new rules could be in force by early 2020". More

In September 2012, a coach returning from a music festival crashed after a 19 year old tyre fitted to its front axle blew out, causing the death of three people on the coach.