Survey shows 80 per cent of people unhappy with Gloucester roads
The Gloucester Citizen, Monday, March 01, 2010
Around 119 motorists were surveyed during January and February at the Chris Mullins Tyre centre, in Bristol Road, Gloucester. The research found that 86 per cent of drivers think that the cost of keeping a car on the road has risen over the past year, with higher
fuel costs (91 per cent), maintenance (35 per cent), road tax (42 per
cent) and insurance (39 per cent) being the major contributors to the
hike. Only 16 per cent of motorists thought they would be in a position to change their vehicle over the next six months. Asked if they thought the economic recession was coming to an end, three quarters said 'no' or were unsure. Of the 23 per cent who thought the end of the recession was in sight; only one in five went on to say they were more optimistic about the economy for 2010.
Drivers were also asked if
they felt well-treated by the local authorities when it comes to
important issues such as the condition of roads, speed cameras and car
parking charges. A huge majority (82 per cent) felt
negatively about these matters, with almost 80 per cent unhappy with
the condition of roads; 54 per cent saying that car parking was
expensive and 34 per cent believing there are too many speed cameras.
Chris Mullins, owner of the business said: "Although the Government tells us that the recession is technically over, it's clear from this study that most drivers in Gloucester feel very differently on the subject.
"Motorists are understandably feeling the pinch when it comes to running their vehicles. Money is tight but that hasn't stopped fuel costs rising, along with other essentials like insurance, road tax and servicing."
Mr Mullins added that a clear statement has been made to the local authorities as a result of the survey.
"Gloucester's roads are notorious for pot holes and the severe weather this winter has made a bad problem even worse.
"The clear message to the authorities and agencies from this survey is that drivers aren't happy and expect better from those responsible for roads, car parking and speed cameras."
Gloucestershire County Council's Operation Road Rescue has meant that 10,000 pot holes around Gloucestershire have been filled since January.
The
county's roads suffered huge damage after the cold snap in January,
leaving a trail of about 90,000 potholes to repair. The highways team
have been aiming to fill at least 500 potholes a day
January 2010
First snowfall prompts winter roads warning from Gloucester tyre expert
Tyre expert says consider special winter tyres to tackle difficult driving conditions
The first serious snows of winter have prompted a Gloucester motoring specialist to issue a driving alert, highlighting the roads that are most likely to cause traffic chaos during snowy and icy conditions.
Chris Mullins, of Chris Mullins Tyres on the Bristol Road in Gloucester, has identified seven routes in and around Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud that traditionally catch motorists out during the winter months. They are:
• Birdlip Hill and Nettleton Bottom
• Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham
• Horsepools Hill, Gloucester
• Frocester Hill, Stonehouse
• Toadsmoor Hill, Stroud
• Cowcombe Hill (A419) , Chalford , Stroud
• The Old Neighborhood , Chalford , Stroud
"The best advice we can offer is to avoid these areas if at all possible when the conditions are as bad as they are at present. If you cannot avoid driving, then leave extra time for the journey, travel outside of peak morning and evening times and keep a constant watch for drifting snow and black ice."
Another option to consider for drivers who use these and other snow and
ice-affected routes are special cold weather tyres. They cope better with snow and ice because they are made with more natural rubber than standard tyres, allowing them to stay flexible when the temperature drops below the threshold of 7 degrees Celsius. This gives extra grip in cold, wet and icy conditions, resulting in significantly shorter stopping distances.
.
"In European countries like Austria and Germany it is compulsory for motorists to change over to winter tyres," says Chris Mullins. "While we do not get the extremes of weather found in those countries, there's no doubt that the new generation cold weather tyres do help keep people on the move in really tough driving conditions."
Regardless of the type of tyre used drivers must ensure they have sufficient tread depth to cope with the conditions. Worn tyres are less able to disperse snow and surface water, increasing the risk of aquaplaning in wet or slushy conditions.
Editor's note: the number of accidents caused by wet road conditions increases in winter by 267%. There are nearly 6,500 more accidents involving cars on the UK's roads in winter than there are in the summer months.
(source: Department of Transport Road Accident Statistics, 2003)
October 2009
City tyre centre supports 'lifesaver in your pocket' national tyre safety campaign
A 20p coin can show if tyres need attention; free professional checks offered by
technicians at Chris Mullins Tyres
A city tyre centre is backing a national campaign running throughout October to improve tyre safety awareness among motorist
Chris Mullins Tyres of Bristol Road is supporting the TyreSafe* 'lifesaver in your pocket' campaign, which encourages drivers to insert a 20p coin into the main grooves of their tyres to check the tread depth. If the outer band of the coin is visible when inserted, the tyre may not have sufficient depth and should be checked by a qualified specialist.
According to TyreSafe statistics, 34 motorists died on the UK's roads last year where an illegal, defective or under-inflated tyre was a contributory factor in the accident. At least 900 other motorists were also injured in accidents where tyre neglect played a part.
"This is a really important campaign as we know from our own research that drivers are leaving it too late before they change their tyres," says Chris Mullins. "A study we carried out this summer showed that almost 77% of the tyres we examined were already worn below the legal limit of 1.6mm, which means safety is being compromised and drivers are risking prosecution."
Staff at the tyre centre will be advising motorists to use the 20p 'lifesaver' as a simple way of checking their tyres this winter and encouraging drivers to call into the centre at any time for a free professional check.
Independent research commissioned for the 'lifesaver' campaign by TyreSafe endorses the general lack of awareness about tyre safety standards. In the south west, only 45% of motorists identified 1.6mm as the correct legal minimum tread depth; 18% admitted to having never checked their tyre tread depth and a further 14% hadn't checked them in the last 6 months.**
"We're getting behind the campaign because we want Gloucester drivers to be among the safest in the country," says Chris Mullins. "Spending five minutes now to make sure your tyres are in good shape for the winter months has to make really good sense," he adds.
Why tyre safety is important
Tyresafe says: adequate tread depth is critical to safe motoring. The tread grooves are carefully designed to remove water from the road surface and keep the tyre in contact with the road. If the tread grooves are not deep enough, water cannot be moved resulting in a loss of grip and traction which can lead to longer stopping distances, reduced handling and an increased likelihood of aquaplaning.
More than a quarter of drivers surveyed by TyreSafe were unaware that they were more likely to suffer from aquaplaning with low tread and one in five drivers were unaware that they would take longer to stop in the wet or would not be able to go round corners as well.
August 2009
City drivers ignoring tyre laws as recession bites into family motoring budgets
Staff at Chris Mullins Tyres, in Bristol Road, have found almost 77% of the 3,050 tyres they examined from cars, 4x4s and light vans between May and the end of July were worn below the legal limit of 1.6mm.
Chris Mullins believes the figures show too many motorists are not aware of tyre legislation.
He said: "It's no coincidence that we're seeing more badly worn tyres brought into the centre than at any other time since I've been involved in the industry over the past 20 years.
"Tyres are
often a distress purchase when the car fails the MOT and not enough
motorists realise that it is an offence to drive on tyres with less
than 1.6mm of tread
He added many people were compromising their safety as they felt the financial pinch.
"The
recession is also a big factor," he said. "When money is tight people
are understandably tempted to put off spending on their cars and that
results in more horror tyres on local roads.
"Motoring costs have gone up despite the recession - particularly things like fuel and insurance - but it's a false economy to ignore tyres as drivers run the risk of prosecution, fines and penalty points. They also compromise their safety and that of their passengers and other road users."
Garry Handley, driver training manager at Gloucester-Road Safety Partnership, said: "You need good tyres to drive safely.
"They
are your only contact with the road and affect steering, braking and
the acceleration of your vehicle, and each tyre has a contact patch on
the road about the size of a large footprint, so it is vital that
drivers and riders regularly check their tyres, including the spare.
"This survey of over 3,000 tyres shows that many motorists seem to be ignoring this advice and taking risks with their safety and the safety of those they share the vehicle and the roads with - as well as breaking the law."
18th July 2009
POTHOLE-RIDDEN ROADS SHAMED BY TYRE SPECIALIST
POTHOLES in Gloucester are putting drivers in danger and costing thousands of pounds in repairs, according to a motoring expert.
Tyre specialist Chris Mullins last night urged highways officials to tackle the problem and named the five county roads he considered the worst.
Mr Mullins, owner of Chris Mullins Tyres in Bristol Road, Podsmead, said the number of cars damaged by bad road surfaces had spiralled over the past two years.
The 41-year-old, from Bussage, said Gloucestershire County Council officials were not maintaining the roads properly and added the floods in July 2007 had made the problem worse.
He said: "It is something that has come to light over the past couple of years. It is getting worse. There are more potholes in the roads than there ever has been."
Mr Mullins, who has been in the tyre industry for 24 years, said until about 18 months ago he would replace broken coil suspension springs about once a year.
Now he said he was replacing springs, which cost about £150, at least once a month.
He said potholes were also causing punctures, buckled wheels and steering problems.
Mr Mullins has written to the head of Gloucestershire Highways calling for urgent action.
In his letter he named the five worst local roads as:
¦ Tuffley Avenue, Gloucester
¦ Stroud Road, Gloucester
¦ School Lane, Quedgeley
¦ Tanglewood Way, Bussage
¦ The B4066 from Stroud to Dursley
He said: "This situation needs urgent attention, not simply because of the cost and inconvenience, but also because there is a safety factor involved. A motorcyclist could easily be thrown from a bike if it hit a pothole at speed and a driver could lose control of a car."
Motorist Chris King, also of Bussage, paid more than £200 for new tyres and suspension springs for his BMW about two months ago - and believes it was a result of potholes on the A419.
The 40-year-old said: "When you consider the amount of road tax we pay, we are not being given much in return."
Nick Peters, Gloucestershire Highways manager, said: "The county council is very aware that it has a significant backlog of road maintenance to address.
"Over the last few years the council has been topping up the funding it receives from central government by £4million a year in order to improve the network and to tackle the backlog.
"We have seen significant improvement in the condition of principal classified roads (B and C roads) despite the major damage caused by the 2007 flooding - an estimated £23million of damage - and the worst winter weather experienced for 20 years.
"Since February, the county council has been trying to get on top of a significant amount of pothole damage with more than 10,000 repaired, and a number of patching and road-surfacing schemes are planned for 2009/10 and 2010/11."
27 May 2009
GLOUCESTER TYRE CENTRE HELPS FREEWHEELERS KEEP ON THE MOVE FOR LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL DELIVERIES
Charity service delivering vital Tamiflu supplies for Swine Flu pandemic
A Gloucester tyre centre is helping to keep a voluntary motorcycle group on the road as it delivers vital medical supplies across the region.
Chris Mullins Tyres on the city's Bristol Road is helping the Severn Freewheelers keep their tyres in tip-top order as they clock-up thousands of miles each month delivering vital medical supplies to hospitals in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, North Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
The volunteer charity collects and delivers urgently-needed blood, x-rays, scans and tissue samples during out-of-office hours between 7 pm and 7 am on weekdays and all day over weekends and holidays.
Recently, the Freewheelers have helped distribute supplies of the Tamiflu vaccine to help counter the spread of the Swine Flu pandemic in the region.
"These people are absolutely amazing," says Chris Mullins of Chris Mullins Tyres. "They respond to around 200 emergency calls each month which help to save lives and provides a fantastic service at no cost to the NHS. The least we can do is to make sure the tyres on their BMW superbikes bikes are serviced, checked and replaced on a regular basis so they are in the best shape to cover the miles."
With motorcycle tyres lasting only 6,000 -7,000 miles and riders getting through up to 500 miles per shift, the Freewheelers are regular visitors to the new Chris Mullins tyre centre on the Bristol Road. "We specialise in motorcycle tyres and provide a 'ride-in-ride-out' service which means the riders don't have to wait around. They provide a fantastic service to the community and the NHS so it's a real pleasure to be involved with them," says Chris Mullins.
Derek Price, one of the original members of the Severn Freewheelers in the county, says: "We have to raise every penny of the money it takes to keep the bikes on the road, so everyone who contributes to that cause, like Chris and his team, is very much appreciated. We reckon that the Severn Freewheelers save local hospitals about £30,000 per year in taxi and courier costs, which can be spent instead on front-line facilities and medical staff."
PRICE AND MULLINS JOIN FORCES IN NEW GLOUCESTER RETAIL CENTRE
Former Ebley Tyre and ProTyre colleagues John Price and Chris Mullins have resumed a working relationship spanning almost 25 years by joining forces to open a new tyre retail centre in the heart of Gloucester's busy commercial centre.
The new venture, Chris Mullins Tyres, is a £250,000 investment in a 5000 sq ft centre specialising in car, motorcycle, 4x4 and van tyres on the city's Bristol Road, a few hundred yards from the ProTyre centre which Chris managed for 10 years.
The pair first met while working for the west country independent group Ebley Tyres in 1985 and their career paths ran in parallel when both moved on to ProTyre in the late 1990s. John owned and managed centres in Gloucester, Bristol and Alcester before selling his interests in the company in early 2006, while Chris looked after the flagship centre in Gloucester until late last year.
"Chris and I had always worked well together over many years so when he approached me to help him start up a new business I was naturally keen to be involved," explained John Price. "The more I found out the keener I was to invest in the business and we have been really pleased with the response from customers in our first few months of trading," added John.
"It's just like old times," said Chris Mullins, "only this time it's my business and John is providing fantastic support as an investor and hands-on business partner and advisor. Opening any new business is a risk, especially in the current economic climate, but drivers still need tyres and we've had a great response from customers who value real service and independent advice."
Motorcycle tyres are a speciality of the new business, with the ride-in-ride-out service proving popular with the local biker community. As part of the original capital investment, the centre has been equipped with the latest wheel alignment equipment from Pro Align and state-of-the-art fitting and balancing equipment from leading supplier Hofmann Megaplan.
A full range of car, 4x4, bike and van tyres from all leading manufacturers is available, although brands such as Avon and Nexen are proving particularly popular.
"Between us we know the tyre business extremely well and are confident that we will make a real success of the venture," says Chris Mullins. "We've been delighted with the welcome and encouragement we have received from many of the suppliers we have done business with over the years and look forward to expanding those relationships as the business continues to expand and flourish."
A NEW survey reveals that more than 80 per cent of people are unhappy over the condition of the city's roads.