Fleet data yields illegal tyre tread depth concerns

One in seven tyres (13.6 per cent) removed from UK fleet vehicles over the past 12 months were below the legal tread depth limit, according to data presented by i247 Group at an industry roundtable hosted at the company’s headquarters in Poole, Dorset, on 20 October.

The data was part of a fleet vehicle pilot covering 200,000 vehicle tyre removals during a 12-month period. i247 Group said that the scale of the illegal tyre issue, equating to 74 illegal tyres removed each day in a regulated area of business, was concerning.

David Legg, director of propositions and partnerships at i247 Group, warned that gaps in routine maintenance could leave fleets exposed to avoidable safety hazards.

“Businesses are at risk of sleepwalking into serious tyre safety risks because simple maintenance checks are not happening,” he commented.

“Fleet compliance checks have slipped, particularly since Covid, with more people working from home and not presenting their vehicles regularly in the workplace.”

The company cites the tyre safety charity TyreSafe, which reported that 201 people were killed or seriously injured in incidents related to defective tyres in 2025, a figure that is 19 per cent higher than the year previous and 28 per cent higher than the five-year average.

The unveiling of the i247 data to roundtable guests took place during Tyre Safety Month and included senior representatives from Yokohama, the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, Halfords, Micheldever, the AA, Alphabet (GB), Wessex Fleet and National Highways.

Roundtable respondents suggested that driver education, routine checks and better use of data would help improve tyre safety.

The i247 Group roundtable was held at the company’s headquarters in Poole

Graham Mitchell, CEO for Micheldever, commented: “One of the key issues is that people generally don’t care enough about tyres, they expect somebody else to check them at MOT or service. That creates a growing tyre risk because people are now running with a two- or three-year service interval on some vehicles.”

Better use of vehicle data could help fleet operators identify recurring issues and take a more proactive approach to tyre safety, suggested Legg. He added: “Most people are still only taking odometer and basic information out of telematics. They’re not going to their telematics provider and asking, ‘What else is in there?’ The data’s in there, but people aren’t asking for it.”

The roundtable also highlighted the tyre implications of the introduction of Euro 7, the EU’s latest emission standard. Confirmed to commence from 29 November 2026 for all new type approvals of light commercial vehicles and cars, it introduces new requirements for tyre abrasion as part of efforts to cut tyre particulate emissions.

The new regulations will bring increased focus on balancing tyre abrasion, safety and performance requirements, with implications for tyre manufacturers and fleet operators. Panellists highlighted that the effectiveness of Euro 7 will depend on how it is enforced.

Carl Naylor, managing director of Yokohama, said: “As well intentioned as this kind of regulation is, how Euro 7 is regulated and enforced is the big question. Until we know the details, it’s very hard to determine what the impact is likely to be, or whether it will achieve the overall environmental objective.”

i247 Group says it will produce a report capturing the key insights and recommendations from the roundtable, which will help fleet operators consider their own approach to tyre safety and management. It will be made available free of charge via the i247 Group website.