ATS Euromaster says fleet customers have already placed 80 per cent more forward orders for cold weather tyres for winter 2012/13 compared to last year, with the switch to winter rubber beginning in from1 October 2012.

The nationwide tyre specialist expects its total cold weather tyre sales this year to increase by sixty per cent over 2011 volumes.  Last year already saw the company’s winter tyre sales jump by nearly 200 per cent compared with 2010, when ATS Euromaster launched its winter tyre offer for car and van fleets.

Peter Fairlie, group sales director at ATS Euromaster, says: “Demand is strongest from the fleet sector, where businesses and public sector organisations have experienced the benefits of cold weather tyres for two winters running.

“Every major fleet customer which asked us to fit cold weather tyres last year is maintaining that commitment this winter – some are even rolling the policy out to additional assets.  This growth demonstrates that once managers and drivers have experienced the benefits of winter tyres, they don’t want to be without them,” he adds.

Last winter the Met Office recorded 147 separate days between 1 October 2011 and 31 March 2012 when temperatures dropped below 7 degrees Celsius during prime commuting hours in 10 major UK cities (measured from 7am till 9am and 4pm till 6pm).