Norfolk Trading Standards issues warning after inspections on second-hand cars and part-worn tyres

Norfolk Trading Standards is warning drivers to be vigiliant when buying cars, following recent inspections.

Officers found that one in three part-worn tyres checked were found to be dangerous and 50 per cent of second-hand cars inspected when offered for sale were found to be unroadworthy.

The results came from visits from Norfolk County Council’s Trading Standards officers and the Norfolk and Suffolk Constabulary’s Roads Armed Policing Team (RAPT) to businesses across the county in two separate operations in the last few weeks.

Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, cabinet member for Partnerships at Norfolk County Council, said: “Safety should be the number one priority for all of us when buying a vehicle or car parts. Operations like these are a reminder to all motorists in our county to check what you’re buying before you pay for it.

“Our trading standards teams are doing great work alongside our colleagues in the police to visit businesses and make sure they are taking responsibility for what they are selling.”

The first operation inspected two second-hand car businesses on the safety and roadworthiness of their vehicles, with checks on areas such as accuracy of mileage and MoT validity.

Trading standards officers and RAPT vehicle examiners checked 10 vehicles, with just five of them judged to be roadworthy.

Some of the areas identified included corrosion to the body work, loose body work, unsecured batteries, no valid MoT certificate and windows tinted beyond the legal limit.

Last week, officers also visited seven businesses alongside police vehicle examiners to assess 191 part-worn tyres being offered for sale, checking they met required safety standards and that businesses had taken necessary steps to ensure compliance.

It is illegal to sell part-worn tyres that do not meet specific legal requirements relating to their markings and physical condition.

Only one tyre out of the 191 checked met legal requirements as to safety and markings, with 69 deemed to be in a dangerous condition. Dangerous faults identified included nails protruding through to the inside of the tyre, cuts exposing the cord, compromised structural rigidity and inadequate repairs.

Insp William Drummond, of Norfolk Roads and Armed Policing Team, said: “Tyres are one of the key safety critical components on vehicles. They are the only part of a vehicle in contact with the road. Any fault that compromises their safety is of immediate concern.”

Sophie Leney, Head of Norfolk Trading Standards, said: “As a consumer, you have the right to carry out your own checks on a vehicle before you purchase it and for a small fee you can always ask a third party, like the AA or RAC, to carry out an inspection to ensure that what you’re buying is safe.”

Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair, said: “Part-worn tyres may seem like a cost-saving option, but they can carry serious safety risks if not properly inspected, tested and clearly marked in line with the law.

“We fully support this market surveillance initiative, which helps protect consumers by ensuring part-worn tyres being sold in Norfolk meet the required safety standards.”