A police crackdown targeted at drivers who are committing motoring offences, from defective tyres to not using a seatbelt, revealed shocking results.

More than 1,500 motorists were caught breaking the law during the series of days of action across Cambridgeshire.

Thirteen motorists were fined for defective tyres, 51 were caught driving without insurance and a staggering 590 were issued with FPN’s for not wearing seat belts.

Chief Inspector Mike Winters, of the roads policing unit, which led the Operation Anglian action days, said: “It is incredibly disappointing to find so many motorists committing offences across the county.

Councillor Matt Bradney, Cambridgeshire County Council Cabinet member for highways, said: “We face tough targets in reducing the amount of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Road users have complete control, for example, over driving within the speed limit, not using their mobile phone whilst driving, ensuring that they wear a seatbelt along with any passengers, and remaining fully aware on the roads.

“Drivers adhering to the law, education, training, publicity and police enforcement are key to encouraging safer driving and avoiding tragic road deaths that devastate people’s lives.”

Operation Anglian ran intermittently from January until March and saw days of action in Cambridge, Peterborough, Fenland and Huntingdonshire.

Often, motorists are put off buying new tyres, because they think they will be too expensive.

But etyres, the UK’s leading online tyre retailer, operates a mobile fitting service, which means overheads are low and the savings are passed on to customers in the form of cheap prices – up to 40% cheaper than the leading high street depots.

Katherine Clarkson, National Accounts

By Oliver Hall

Michelin tyres reported its sales fell 14.2 per cent to 3.5 billion euros during the first quarter as worldwide demand for tyres has plummeted.

The French tyres maker revealed that demand was down in all of its markets, except China, and that unit sales plunged 24.4 per cent in the same period.

The crippling losses were felt most acutely in the Original Equipment market and the truck tyres sector.

However, Michelin reported that inventory volumes were stable over the past three months due to production flexibility programmes, which will be stepped up in the second quarter to help optimise working capital.

Michelin have also sharply curtailed capital expenditure in line with an annual budget held to 700million euros allocated between the first and second halves.

Michelin, which vies with Japan’s Bridgestone tyre group for the title of world’s biggest tyre maker, said that tyre markets around the world were suffering from the decline in demand.

The company said its priority for 2009 will be on managing cash and sharply reducing capital expenditure, and claimed that it was well on track to meet its objective of generating positive free cash flow in 2009.

Coveted “Best Buy” seals of approval have been awarded to 15 SUV and car tyres by a leading US consumer magazine.

The highly respected Consumer’s Digest rated the tyres based on performance, features, tread life expectancy, warranty and price.

Rich Dzierwa, editor of the bi-monthly magazine, said that the publication doesn’t conduct its own product testing, but relies on the expertise of its writers, independent sources and the stated features of the products for its recommendations.

It’s always interesting how other people rate products we all need to buy and so we are bringing you the list of results in full.

The “Best Buy” tyres categories and winners are:

* All-season car tires: Premium—Goodyear Assurance TripleTread; Midrange—Michelin Harmony; Economy—Dunlop SP 60.

* Touring car tires: Premium—Bridgestone Turanza Serenity; Midrange—Kumho Solus KR21; Economy—General Altimax RT.

* Performance car tires: Premium—Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position; Midrange—Dunlop SP Sport Signature; Economy—Fuzion HRI.

* All-season SUV/truck tires: Premium—Goodyear Fortera TripleTred; Midrange—Yokohama Geolander H/T-S G051; Economy—General Grabber HTS.

* Performance SUV/truck tires: Performance—Michelin Latitude Tour HP; Midrange—Yokohama Geolander H/T-S G052; Economy—Kumho Ecsta STX.

Oliver Hall, Operations Team

By Denna Bowman

For the second year in a row, Goodyear tyres have been recognised as America’s most respected automotive company in a prestigious survey by the Reputation Institute and Forbes magazine.

The recognition brings tremendous kudos to the tyres company, because the RI’s Global Pulse consumer opinion survey measures the overall respect, trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings consumers hold toward the world’s largest companies.

Scores are based on RI’s seven dimensions of reputation: products/services, innovation, workplace, citizenship, governance, leadership and performance.

RI said the 2009 survey indicates that consumers are most influenced by a company’s high-quality products and services.

Richard J. Kramer, president of Goodyear’s North American Tyre Business, said: “This recognition is particularly meaningful as it is based on surveys with the general public - the consumers who buy our tyres and put their trust in Goodyear every day.

“Our strategies are clearly working.”

In addition to being ranked highest among automotive companies, Goodyear ranked No. 32 overall and is only tyre company rated in the top 150.

Goodyear is North America’s largest tyre company. Goodyear employs about 30,000 people in North America and manufactures its products in more than 20 facilities.

We’ve just made one of our customers very happy!

After taking their car for its annual MOT they were told that although it had passed the inspection, all four tyres needed to be replaced as soon as possible.

Sensibly our customer decided to shop around to get the best price for a set of new car tyres instead of giving the garage the go-ahead to swap them over there and then.

After surfing the internet, our customer discovered etyres offered the best deal and a convenient mobile fitting service – so no more trundling off to the local garage.

But the best news was yet to come!

Upon arrival – with the four new ordered tyres loaded on the van – our fitter soon saw that the tyres were still in good condition.

In fact the rear ones had 7mm of tread and the front ones had a comfortable 5mm – both were nowhere near the legal minimum of 1.6mm!

Our fitter broke the news to the customer that the tyres were good for many more miles and went on his way.

There was no charge to the customer and this is what she had to say: “When the fitter came to fit my tyres he informed me that my existing tyres are fine for a while yet…I will re-order in a few months when I need them.

“Thank you for your assistance and I am very pleased with the honesty and integrity of your company. I will definitely recommend you. Regards J.B.”

We may not have got the sale this time, but we’ve got a customer for life!

Sabrina, Head Office

By Katherine Clarkson

A massive 600,000 tyres mountain, branded an “environmental ticking time bomb” looks set to be cleared up.

Businessman Roger Gawn has pledged to end the decade-long saga of the infamous Tattersett Business Park eyesore at Sculthorpe in Norfolk.

There have been repeated attempts to sort out the problem of removing the 600,000 tyres, which have come from cars and lorries.

Now Mr Gawn has undertaken the mammoth task after becoming the new owner of Tattersett and will start shredding the tyres to see the mountain drastically reduced within eight weeks.

Mr Gawn said: “As the new owner of the Tattersett Business Park I have taken on the onerous task of being the person responsible for seeing the mountain of tyres removed and I have already arranged for the area to be fenced for security purposes and to prevent any further illegal dumping of tyres.”

Longer term plans involve creating a permanent tyre recycling facility for north Norfolk on the site.

He said that in conjunction with his architect he will be preparing an “eco-solution master plan” for the overall former airfield site for eventual submission to the local authority.

Mr Gawn, who is well-known in Norfolk as the owner of a number of landmark properties, including Melton Constable Hall and the Custom House at King’s Lynn, would not reveal the exact purchase price of the 180-acre business park from former owner French bank Societe Generale.

However, he said it was a commercial transaction and the price reflected the existence of the tyre mountain.

He said: “This is certainly an onerous task that I have taken on with the purchase of the park.

” I have taken this on in good faith and there have been considerable behind-the-scenes talks with interested parties including Norman Lamb, North Norfolk MP, the Environment Agency, North Norfolk District Council and Fakenham county councillor David Callaby.

As sole supplier of tyres to all the Formula One teams, Bridgestone are in pole position to glean vital technical data to develop the ultimate HP tyres for the road.

Thanks to its unique role in F1, the Japanese tyres manufacturer works with many of the world’s major car makers in a high performance environment.

And technical developments made on the track with such manufacturers as Toyota and Ferrari, can then be applied to Bridgestone’s high performance passenger car tyres.

Bridgestone now even uses the same Potenza branding on its road-going products as it does on its F1 rubber, stating: “The technological advances that Bridgestone makes on the racetrack feed directly into its high performance road tyres.”

Andy Dingley, advertising and promotions manager at Bridgestone, said: “As we supply all of the teams in F1 we have generated large amounts of technical data, as well as learning new methods of working, which is certainly beneficial for our passenger tyre development strategy.”

The Japanese tyres company began its official three-year tenure as the sports sole tyre supplier last year. 

However, they also had the monopoly on the grid in 2007 when Michelin withdrew from the sport ahead of schedule.

The years as sole supplier are a tremendous learning curve and also give Bridgestone the chance to increase its global brand awareness with its logo appearing on TV broadcasts live around the world.

Alex Kapadia, Operations Team

By Oliver Hall

Concerns have been raised over how the new EU law to make tyres safer, greener and quieter tyres will be enforced.

Tyres manufacturers will have to work hard and invest heavily in research and development in order to the meet the strict standards set by the regulation which is set to be passed by the European Parliament.

However, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) has voiced concerns about how the legislation will be enforced.

Dr Francesco Gori, chairman of the ETRMA, warned: “There is need for robust verification mechanisms in each member state to protect both industry and consumers from the less scrupulous producers and importers.

“Equally important will be truly dissuasive penalties that must be set and rigorously applied when products are found not complying.”

The ETRMA, whose membership is made up of the leading European tyre manufacturers and those with production facilities within the continent, welcomed the new labelling proposal.

Fazilet Cinaralp, secretary general of the ETRMA, said: “One fifth of the fuel consumption of a passenger car is devoted to fighting the rolling resistance phenomenon.

“Expected fuel savings from the increased use of fuel efficient tyres are estimated to lead to a saving of 20 million tons of CO2 per year and 10 billion euros of fuel per year.

“Therefore, the availability of reliable and comparable information on tyre performance will make it easier for consumers to take these elements into account in their purchasing decisions.”

Anyone who’s ever suffered from ‘noisy’ tyres will sympathise with the motorist who contact the Telegraph’s brilliant motoring agony aunt Honest John, with the following gripe:

“I  need advice on the tyres noise and harshness problem with my otherwise perfect Mercedes C320 CDI estate. The tranquillity in this car is utterly ruined by this idiotic tyre fit, and I am anxious to change from the standard and mandatory 225/45R17 to a 16-inch rim with a 55-profile tyre, either of 225, 215 or 205 width. MB is unhelpful on the subject, and insists that the standard fit is “essential, to handle all that torque”. The lie to this is that both the E- and S-class 320 CDI come as standard with the fatter tyres. Are you aware of any successful resolutions to this problem, and do you foresee problems with insurers?”

Honest John writes back: “While I agree with your sentiments I don’t have a tried and tested cure. You can get a W211 E320CDI on 16in wheels. I’ve driven and enjoyed one immensely round the handling tracks at MB World, Brooklands. However, if you experiment with 16s, you would have to inform your insurer. The dealer argument simply doesn’t hold up. My Focus ECOnetic is on 195/65 R15s and handles better than a Focus on 16- or 17-inch low profiles.

Denna Bowman, Head Office

By Denna Bowman

Uniroyal are celebrating ‘Best Buy’ honours from the leading consumer magazine Which? for its rain tyres.

Uniroyal’s RainSport 2 tyres scored equal overall to a leading premium competitor in the 205/55 R14W test and the magazine commented that you could buy four RainSport 2’s for the price of three of the competitors tyres.

The Rainsport 2 also received an extra boost in the form of a Which? exceptional value honour.

Which? reported: “The tyre has good all-round grip, handles well in wet and dry conditions and resists aquaplaning well on the straights and in bends.”

While the newly launched RainExpert, which only arrived in the UK in January, also received a glowing commendation.  

After putting the 185/60 R14 H through its paces, Which? researchers said: “The Uniroyal RainExpert lives up to its name tag thanks to its class-leading wet grip.”

Scott Benbow, product manager for Uniroyal said: “This is a great endorsement for the Uniroyal brand.

“Both the RainExpert and the RainSport 2 deliver outstanding performance and give motorists greater safety in wet conditions when it is most needed.

“The Which? Best Buys and the comments about wet weather performance are a great way to celebrate 40 years of the rain tyre.”

Both tyres have Uniroyal’s trademark directional V tread patterns specifically designed to cut through the water and grip to the road.  This gives drivers shorter braking distances in both wet and dry conditions.