subject: Toyotas Winter Tyre Programme [print this page] With the recent snow and ice, driving conditions around the UK has become treacherous. And with weather forecasters predicting these conditions to become more common in the UK, car manufactures have started to introduce winter tyre programmes. Volvo were the first to introduce such a programme, recently Toyota has also introduced its version.
Toyota has introduced the pilot scheme targeting models such as the used Toyota Auris in Salisbury, initially there are just two Toyotas centres dealing with the programme, but the plan is to see how it goes and start rolling the scheme out throughout the UK.
Having winter tyres on a vehicle provides more than just peace of mind; analysts predict winter tyres will make a huge contribution to road safety. The rubber compound used in winter weather tyres is specially formulated to maintain performance at low temperatures, ensuring braking and the operation of active safety systems, such as traction control, are not compromised.
Steve Settle, Toyota Customer Services Director, said: "Safety is of prime importance and, following the severe winters we've experienced recently, there is a much greater awareness of the benefits of fitting winter weather tyres. He went on to add, "We have launched our trial programme to give Toyota owners the chance to gain the right advice and professional assistance to fit appropriate tyres to their vehicle. Although this is a pilot scheme, we will be monitoring its progress closely and there is the potential for it to be expanded to other models and to centres in other regions in the future."
In some countries, such as Germany, winter tyres are a legal requirement during the winter season, maybe something similar should be introduced in the UK. The snow in the past two years has caught the country out as a whole but motorists felt the affect more than others, our cars and drivers are not prepared for the amount of snow we have seen so maybe winter tyres will help keep the country moving.
