Stockport’s Labour Cabinet Member in charge of Education has spoken of how pleased he is to ‘see the Council working together in the cause of safety’, after a Motion backing the TYRED campaign passed with unanimous support at the June 28th Council meeting.
The Motion notes the TYRED campaign objective to lobby government to enforce a 10-year age limit on tyres, after the tragic crash on the way back from the 2012 Bestival music festival. This cost the lives of Michael Molloy (18), Kerry Ogden (23), and Colin Daulby (63) due to the failure of a 19.5 year old tyre, which despite its age was fully legal.
The TYRED campaign has seen the support of a number of Local Authorities including Knowsley, Wirral, East Lancashire, Liverpool and now Stockport.
Commenting, Clr Dean Fitzpatrick said:
“This is an important campaign which aims to improve safety for everyone traveling in public transit vehicles, and it is really great to see the Council working together in the cause of safety.’
“As such, this is of particular relevance to schools who regularly transport children to and from education or on various trips, which is why I moved this motion.
“I know I wouldn’t want my child travelling in a vehicle with tyres over a decade old, and this is why we have asked the Council to write to all carriers used by Stockport Schools, to request all tyres are within ten years old.
“The Tyred campaign was brought about through tragic circumstances. It is my hope the campaign can result in some good through encouraging government action in this important area to prevent future such tragedies. “
To learn more about the Tyred Campaign, see their website here: http://www.tyred.org.uk/index. The full text of the motion is below:
TYRED CAMPAIGN MOTION
This Council notes;
- the tragic circumstances relating to a coach to crash in transit from Bestival to Liverpool in September 2010, which led to the deaths of three individuals and leaving many more with life changing injuries;
- that the inquest concluded this was caused by an aged (19 years) but legal tyre, and that this tragedy may have been prevented through more recent tyre replacement;
- the launch of the “Tyred” campaign by Frances Molloy to pressure Government into a change of law to ban the use of tyres older than ten years on commercial vehicles.
This Council is therefore:
- supportive of the aims of the “Tyred” campaign to alter government policy in relation to the legal maximal tyre age of 10 years;
- concerned to ensure the vehicles used in relation to our own services adhere to strong safety standards as outlined by the campaign.
This Council therefore resolves to:
- support the aims of the Tyred Campaign through drawing the attention of the Local Government Association, especially its Environment and Transport Board, to this Council’s view that these concerns should be fully addressed.
- ask officers to look at our own procurement procedures with a view to inserting an appropriate clause in any contracts with commercial operators and to also ensure that this standard applies to our own vehicle fleet;
- request the Chief Executive to write to coach operators which serve Stockport Schools asking them to adhere to the provisions set out in the “Tyred” campaign.
- ensure this Council notifies TfGM, the Chief Executives of all Greater Manchester Councils, and all schools in Stockport about the decision of the Council.
Moved by: Cllr Dean Fitzpatrick
Seconded by: Cllr Colin Foster