Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 February 2006
262 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the space saver tyre being fitted in new cars; his views on this practice; if all safety aspects of these tyres have been examined in view of the restrictions on speed and distance associated with them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7293/06]
View answerThe regulatory framework for vehicle standards is set at European level through a harmonised system of motor vehicle type-approval. Standards for new cars in the EU are specified in a series of EU type-approval directives for a range of items, including tyres, which are incorporated into a system known as EU whole vehicle type approval, WVTA. WVTA facilitates the achievement of a single market for cars through harmonised safety and environmental standards. New cars must have WVTA in order to be placed on the market in the EU. It is not open to a member state to prohibit the sale or entry-into-service of a car which has EU-WVTA.
The type-approval requirements for tyres, which are set down in Directive 92/23/EEC as last amended by Directive 2005/11/EC, includes specifications for space saver wheels. The Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003, which specify in-service standards for vehicles in Ireland, require that a space saver wheel display a notice indicating that it is for temporary use only, it must be replaced by a normal wheel as soon as possible, and that a vehicle fitted with such a wheel should not be driven in excess of 80 km/h.
