Changing tyres early is "unnecessary", says Michelin

One of the world's leading tyre manufacturers has hit back at recent calls from parts of the industry to increase the minimum tyre tread depth from 1.6mm to 3mm, claiming it is unnecessary and would only add millions of pounds a year to UK motorists' bills.

The backlash came after Kwik-Fit recently highlighted how almost three-quarters (73%) of the UK's police, fire and ambulance services change their vehicles tyres at a tread depth of 2.6mm to 3mm, and urged drivers to follow suit.