etyres Flooded With Calls to Replace Pothole-Damaged Tyres

CAMBRIDGE, England, January 18, 2011 - etyres, the UK's leading online tyre retailer, has been inundated with
call-outs from vehicle owners who have had their tyres and wheels damaged in
the latest pothole epidemic.

And following weeks of severe winter weather, the state of British roads
is continuing to deteriorate at a rapid rate, forcing drivers to navigate
their way round cracks and gaping holes.

Last year a survey by Continental tyres
(www.etyres.co.uk/tyres/continental) claimed that more than three
million motorists had been involved in accidents during the UK's Big Winter
Freeze.

The German tyres manufacturer discovered that one-in-ten motorists had
pranged, scraped or crashed their cars as Britain shuddered through the
coldest temperatures in 30 years.

And following another bout of severe winter weather, coupled with badly
damaged roads, this year the figure could rise even higher, according to
etyres.

Now etyres is urging motorists to be extra vigilant regarding their
tyres, especially after driving over a pothole.

Tony Bowman, managing director of etyres, said: "The bad weather has
turned our roads into potential minefields.

"Since the start of the new year, we have had hundreds of calls from
customers whose tyres have been damaged by potholes.

"Sometimes the damage is immediately apparent and a vehicle should not be
driven with a burst or punctured tyre. In this case it is advisable to
replace the damaged tyre with the spare so that you can get home safely
without causing any more damage to the vehicle.

"However, in other cases, the damage is less obvious, it can cause a slow
puncture or a bulge in the rubber. If this the tyre isn't repaired or
replaced it could lead to a potentially dangerous blow out at high speed."

Some motorists are lowering the pressure in their tyres to cushion the
jolt from the pothole impact. However, Mr Bowman warned: "This is a mistake
and is not recommended.

"Well maintained tyres will help to minimise the risk of damage from
potholes and a correctly inflated tyre will always offer more protection to a
wheel than an over or under-inflated one."

About etyres

Launched in 1998, etyres is the UK's first retailer of tyres online
(www.etyres.co.uk/). It operates a mobile fitting service, which means
customers can have their tyres fitted at a location of their choice, either
at their home or place of work.

Its low overheads mean the price customers pay is always low - up to 40%
cheaper than the leading high street tyre depots. Etyres offers a wide range
of tyres, from premium to budget brands, including Pirelli and Continental
tyres and 4×4 tyres (www.etyres.co.uk/4×4-tyres-vehicles). Local
mobile fitting is available across the UK including tyres in Bradford, Luton,
Edinburgh and Huddersfield tyres (
www.etyres.co.uk/towns/huddersfield/tyres-in-huddersfield-area.html).

    PR Contact

    Denna Bowman
    Lower Court 3
    Copley Hill Innovation Park
    Cambridge Road
    Babraham
    Cambridge
    CB22 3GN
    +44(0)1223-832444
    www.etyres.co.uk

PR Contact: Denna Bowman, Lower Court 3, Copley Hill Innovation Park, Cambridge Road, Babraham, Cambridge, CB22 3GN, +44(0)1223-832444