Leasing companies could be in a position to offer a cold weather tyres ‘add on’ to a maintenance contract from this autumn, improving safety and reducing downtime through wintry conditions.

ATS Euromaster is planning to use its expertise from operations in other European countries to establish a system to serve UK customers.

This winter, ATS Euromaster says one home delivery network customer decided to switch to cold weather tyres to allow it to travel along untreated roads, while police fleets are also likely candidates to consider switching tyres for cold weather.

Steve Bury, head of national accounts at ATS Euromaster, said cold weather tyres offer significant safety benefits compared with standard tyres in cold weather, not just when there’s snow on the ground, with reduced stopping distances and improved traction.

He pointed to Euromaster’s operation in Holland, where it began offering a similar service 10 years ago, and in 2009 opened a bespoke fitting depot that can change a set of tyres in 15 minutes with leasing companies as 98% of its business.

Leasing companies offer the winter tyre service as an additional feature in maintenance contracts with premiums typically at about 10-15 Euros – winter tyres are treated as a set of tyres used during a lease, with the extra cash paying for fitting and storage.

He said ATS Euromaster had already been working with a major leasing company to introduce a system in the UK.

Bury told Fleet News: “This practice started with the car leasing sector in Holland, which has similar average temperatures to the UK, and in the beginning many people didn’t think switching to cold weather tyres for the winter would be a benefit.

“The shift was driven by safety and now more than 50% of cars change tyres."

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