PRESS RELEASE - 22nd September 2008 
Credit Crunch starting to bite on tyres

Survey reveals that 75% of motorists are potentially breaking the law - Disturbing findings in the run up to tyre safety month

New car sales in the UK are already being affected by the credit crunch and there is now mounting evidence that motorists are delaying replacing worn and defective tyres. This false economy is putting drivers, passengers and other road users in danger of an accident or the potential for prosecution.
Research by Protyre, Britain’s largest independent tyre dealer network, has revealed that over three quarters of motorists visiting their 31 outlets had at least one defective or badly worn tyre, up dramatically on a year ago. Surprisingly, Protyre technicians have also discovered that drivers of family cars seem to be more responsible than owners of premium vehicles, with a lower percentage of family cars having more than one defective tyre compared with premium models – the cars usually fitted with lower profile tyres.
Motorists driving a vehicle with a defective tyre face possible prosecution risking a fine up to £2,500 and three penalty points on their licence per tyre. Bald tyres also compromise safety, offering less grip in the wet and with the UK going into what is predicted to be one of the wettest autumns for many years, the dangers are all too obvious.
Commenting on the Protyre findings, Adrian Walsh, director of RoadSafe, the road safety partnership of leading industry bodies, government and road safety professionals said, “This research is worrying. Clearly drivers are delaying the replacement of worn tyres which is a false economy and will place drivers at greater risk of having an accident”.

For further press information please contact Automotive PR on +44 (0) 20 7494 8050

About Micheldever Tyre Services & Protyre
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) was founded in 1972 as a part-time venture providing car servicing and tyres. Today, the company is the largest independent wholesaler, distributor and retailer of tyres in the UK. Selling six million tyres in 2007 – 20 percent of the total UK market – annual turnover for 2007/08 is forecast to be £250 million. In addition to offering MTS car, motorcycle and off-road tyres MTS also fits exhausts, brakes and shock absorbers.
MTS has two main business units:

• The Protyre retail chain, currently with 31 outlets including Protyre Motorsport, continues to gain geographic coverage in the UK through new acquisitions.

• MTS has established a wholesale distribution network of 10 sites around the UK supplying 2,500 retailers nationwide. This activity has resulted in significant profitable growth for the company.

MTS is managed by a team headed by Paul Fox and Richard Sawney with backing from Graphite Capital and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).