A grieving mother’s campaign to change the law has been unnecessarily blocked by the government without a valid reason.
In September 2012, Michael Molloy, aged 18, was travelling home from the Bestival music festival when the coach he was travelling on crashed on the A3 in Surrey, killing him, Kerry Ogden, aged 23, and the driver, Colin Daulby. Many of the young people travelling on the coach were also left with horrific, life changing, injuries.
The cause of the crash was a 19.5 year-old tyre. The tyre was older than Michael.
Currently, there is no law that prevents irresponsible operators from using dangerously old tyres, even after the intervention of two coroners, who have written to the Government to voice their concerns about safety in relation to the age of tyres.
Since losing Michael, Frances Molloy has campaigned tirelessly, with support from local MPs, to introduce a Bill into parliament that would prevent tyres older than 10 years from being used on buses and coaches in the UK.
However, the Government has repeatedly objected to the progress of the Bill, stating that more research is needed. This response has been met with outrage from an overwhelming number of people on social media, who have criticised the Government for not taking the necessary steps to save lives, and for hiding behind the excuse of requiring more evidence.
“My son’s death is all the evidence they need,” says Frances. “For the Government to adopt these stalling techniques for absolutely no reason is disgraceful. I should not have to campaign for this change in law. It is common sense that you would not want to be travelling on a coach with a tyre that is nearly 20 years old.
“The support the campaign has received has been tremendous. People are horrified to know that dangerously old tyres are legal, and they are rightfully shocked that this is the case.
“I naturally assumed that the coach my son was travelling on was a safe form of public transport, but instead Michael was travelling in a death-trap because of a 19.5 year-old tyre that was completely deteriorated due to its age.
“The Government’s reasoning for more research is simply not valid, and people across the country are coming to the conclusion that their Government is not working for them. I will not allow this campaign to be held back by party politics. I will not stand back and let my son be another statistic.”
An online petition has launched calling for a law to ban tyres over 10 years old being used on buses and coaches in the UK. The public can show their support for this change by signing the petition.
To learn more about the Tyred campaign, please visit tyred.org.uk.
