Tests on a set of Michelin X Works tyres have prompted Blaby District Council, in Leicestershire, to switch to a Michelin tyre policy across its commercial vehicle fleet.
The year-long trial impressed the council, whose fleet includes a mix of 18 Mercedes-Benz and Dennis refuse collection vehicles (RCVs), a 12.5 tonne road sweeper, two 5.2 tonne Iveco Dailys and a single 7.5 tonne DAF 45, plus 30 light commercial vehicles. It is also specifying the tyres as original equipment.
The council's servicing and fleet manager, Martin Bennett, said: 'Blaby is an area with a lot of narrow roads, meaning that a high proportion of our tyre costs come from repairs to sidewall damage or replacements from kerbing. We decided the best way to test Michelin's tyres was to fit them to the RCV that had the highest rate of tyre damage ' in this case having its tyres replaced sometimes every three to four months.
'I was really impressed by the tyres and the results of the trial. It was 10 months before they needed turning on the rim and they lasted then another 8 months, which was far better than the previous set of tyres on that RCV.'
As he is also fleet manager for Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, he has also changed the Oadby and Wigston fleet of 15 RCVs to a Michelin tyre policy
