Sefton licensed private hire driver fined £1,074 after tyre found with 0.34mm tread

A private hire driver has been fined £1,074 and given three penalty points after Liverpool City Council enforcement officers found a tyre with a tread depth of 0.34mm on a Sefton-licensed vehicle.

The vehicle was inspected near John Lennon Liverpool Airport in March, according to a post by Liverpool City Council’s licensing team. Officers found one tyre that did not meet the legal tread-depth requirement.

The driver was dealt with at a recent court hearing. The £1,074 total includes costs, the council said.

The brief council statement did not name the driver, identify the court or specify the date of the hearing. It also did not say whether the vehicle was carrying passengers when it was inspected.

The case highlights the potential consequences of operating a licensed private hire vehicle with an illegal tyre. The council described the action as part of its road safety work.

UK law requires car tyres to have at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its entire circumference. The reported 0.34mm reading was substantially below that minimum.

Drivers can check their tyre depth using a very simple test. The 20p check is a quick way to see whether a tyre may be below the UK’s legal tread-depth limit.

Place a 20p coin into the main grooves of the tyre tread. If the coin’s outer band is hidden, the tread is likely above the 1.6mm legal minimum. If you can see the outer band, the tyre may be too worn and should be checked with a proper tread-depth gauge.

Check several grooves across the tyre and around its circumference, because wear can vary. The coin test is only a guide: use a gauge to confirm the depth, and have the tyre inspected if you are unsure.