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Tyres: Sales

Asked by Jim McMahonLabour (Co-op)Department for TransportTabled Answered 2 December 2025UIN 95131

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has taken place of the effectiveness of measures to tackle the resale of dangerous part worn tyres.

Answered by Simon Lightwood

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit works closely with local Trading Standards teams to carry out checks on garages selling part worn tyres, enforcing sanctions where necessary.

Any retailer selling part-worn tyres which fail to meet these requirements is breaking the law under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and could be subject to a substantial fine or prison sentence.

Tyres are safety-critical components and are checked as part of the MOT test, ensuring tyres have adequate tread depth and are free from cuts or bulges. Any vehicle with defective tyres will fail an MOT test and is not permitted to be driven on the road.

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