LoginNorfolk TS Uncovers Car Safety Failings
Recent inspections of used car sellers found unsafe tyres and unroadworthy vehicles.
Journal of Trading Standards Staff
Posted 26 August 2025 | JoTS Online
Content Tags: Updates|Automotive|East of England
Recent inspections carried out by Norfolk Trading Standards have revealed that half (50%) of used cars on sale in the county are unroadworthy, and one out of three tyres checked were found to be dangerous.
As part of two separate joint operations involving Norfolk County Council Trading Standards and Norfolk & Suffolk Constabulary’s Roads Armed Policing Team (RAPT), second-hand car sellers across the county were visited earlier this month.
On the first day of the inspections, two second-hand car businesses were assessed on the safety and roadworthiness of their vehicles. Ten vehicles were checked, with just five of them judged to be roadworthy. Some of the issues identified included corrosion to the body work, loose body work, unsecured batteries, lack of a valid MOT certificate, and windows tinted beyond the legal limit.
I hope that this prompts motoring dealers in the county to check their vehicles and vehicle parts to ensure they are safe and legal
A further seven businesses were then visited with police vehicle examiners to inspect 191 part-worn tyres being offered for sale.
Part-worn tyres are used tyres that have been removed from a vehicle and are being resold for further use. 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 the 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.
Norfolk Trading Standards removed all dangerous vehicles and tyres from sale, and says it is continuing to work with all of the businesses where issues were found.
Councillor 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 and 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, and I hope that this prompts motoring dealers in the county to check their vehicles and vehicle parts to ensure they are safe and legal.”
Inspector William Drummond from 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.
“You can use the MOT search function on the Government website to check the mileage advertised by traders against when MOT assessments have taken place. If you’re purchasing tyres then you should also visit TyreSafe, a charity raising awareness of the importance of correct tyre maintenance, for the safety issues with buying them part-worn and the danger signs to look out for.”
Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, 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.”
PLEASE NOTE: This content originally appeared on our standalone Journal of Trading Standards website (www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk), which we are gradually migrating over to the Journal's new home on the CTSI website. Please bear with us while we complete this process. This will not affect the production of our Print Edition.
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Content Tags: Updates|Automotive|East of England
