Although the sale of part worns is legal, evidence shows a large proportion being sold are non-compliant with the clear legal regulations and far too many are defective and dangerous. Most recently, an investigation by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards with assistance from TyreSafe resulted in the conviction of eight part worn retailers on numerous counts of failing to mark part-worn tyres correctly and selling substandard tyres.

Visitors to the new website – www.partworn-tyres.co.uk – will find examples of tyres offered for sale by unscrupulous dealers and discovered during such investigations. The description of the sometimes horrifying faults includes tyres which would have been likely to suffer catastrophic failure on fitment, while unsafe repairs, cuts and objects in the tread are also revealed.

The site also gives guidance on the false economy which part worn tyres represent to the buyer and lays out the regulations and checks which need to have been completed before they can legally be offered for sale.

Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “Partworn-tyres.co.uk is TyreSafe’s latest initiative to inform the motorist of the risks they take when buying part worn tyres. Safety should be every driver’s primary concern and used tyres come with no guarantee that they’ll provide that. Even if a used tyre has passed all its regulatory checks – and there’s little evidence many are checked at all – it’ll need replacing much sooner than a new tyre, increasing the long-term cost and inconvenience.

“TyreSafe urges motorists considering buying used tyres to reconsider and remember part worn means part safe.”