Reading: Under-inflated tyres are over-inflating fuel bills for motorists, says Michelin

By Denna Bowman

Under-inflated tyres are costing UK motorists more than £440 million, according to research carried out by a leading tyres manufacturer.

The research carried out for Michelin also revealed that not only are motorists letting poor tyre pressure affect their bank balance, but more than 370 million litres of fuel are being wasted each year.

This summer the French tyres manufacturer has been racing to the rescue of drivers who are in the dark when it comes to tyre pressures by taking its Fill Up With Air campaign around the country.

Its team offers free tyre checks to help improve safety and reduce vehicle CO2 emissions, while also helping motorists save cash.

Peter Snelling, head of communications for Michelin, said: “Based on the findings of Michelin’s 2009 campaign, if all of the cars in the UK were running on correctly inflated tyres then motorists would save more than £440 million and more than 370 million litres of fuel a year. As a result, CO2 emissions would also be reduced by almost 1 million tonnes.

“Michelin’s 2010, Fill Up With Air campaign is going to be the biggest to date with more than 50 locations included in the tour.

“It really is a matter of life and death and people should learn to check their tyres regularly and thoroughly which is what we can help them to do.

“Tyres that are under inflated can cause poor handling on the road and potentially lead to serious accidents and put lives at risk.”

Michelin is campaigning to make drivers aware that the wrong tyre pressures can mean tyres wear out more quickly as well as increasing the car’s fuel consumption. With fuel prices at an all-time high it is now more important than ever that people set their tyres to the correct pressure.

Snelling added: “It is not only the nation’s purse which is suffering but the environment too. If motorists consume less fuel by having the correct tyre pressure then they produce less CO2 emissions which is much better for the environment.”

The Fill Up with Air Roadshow is touring the UK and Ireland until October. Drivers who want to find their nearest FUWA location can log on to the Michelin website at www.michelin.com

*Figures are based on a parc of 30.3 m cars driving 12,000 miles pa at 35 mpg, with fuel costing £1.20 per litre.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 9th, 2010 at 6:01 am and is filed under Michelin, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.