EUROPE'S largest yet tyre safety blitz begins in June when retailers in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Scandanavia will be drawing drivers' attention to the importance of tyre maintenance and could lead to a campaign for new laws. Tyrecheck 2000 starts on June 5 when drivers will be offered free tyre checks at thousands of outlets in the UK, with similar offers across Europe.

If, as expected, results reveal a high degree of damaged and illegal tyres, the evidence will be used in a campaign for changes to the tyre laws, for example calling for clearer guidelines on tread depth, such as 2mm rather than the current 1.6mm. In the UK the data will be analysed by the National Tyre Distributors Association.

The Association of Chief Police Officers has given its backing to the initiative. Chief Constable of Norfolk Police and chairman of ACPO's traffic committee, Ken Williams, said: 'I would encourage motorists to have their tyres checked, both for peace of mind and to contribute to the national database of information this project seeks to establish.'